MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WMOT) -- The 108th Tennessee General Assembly gets underway Tuesday afternoon at the capitol building.
Following the November elections, Republican legislators go into the session with a super-majority. The GOP holds that advantage for the first time since Civil War Reconstruction.
A number of controversial issues are likely to arise during the session, including more gun related measures. Last session’s controversial “guns-in-trunks” law will likely be offered again.
Following the mass shooting in Connecticut, some Tennessee lawmakers have vowed to introduce legislation that would permit school teachers to carry concealed weapons in the classroom.
A GOP push for education reform is also expected to continue this legislative session, with bills on charter schools, school vouchers, and so-called “parent trigger” laws being discussed.
A parent trigger bill would allow community members to bypass the local school board and decide the fate of failing schools by referendum.