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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WZTV) Governor Bill Lee called for a special session of the Tennessee legislature Friday so that the body can work on legislation to address gun violence following the deadly mass shooting at The Covenant School on March 27.

"After much input from members of the General Assembly and discussions with legislative leadership, we have decided to call a special session to continue our work to protect Tennessee communities and preserve constitutional rights, said Gov. Lee in a statement. "There is broad agreement that dangerous, unstable individuals who intend to harm themselves or others should not have access to weapons."

Lee's statement, coming after the state's legislative session formally closed for 2023, not only stressed the need to develop gun reform laws but also emphasize the importance of preserving Second Amendment principles during the bill-writing negotations.

"We also share a strong commitment to preserving Second Amendment rights, ensuring due process and addressing the heart of the problem with strengthened mental health resources," Lee continued. "I look forward to continued partnership with the General Assembly as we pursue thoughtful, practical solutions to keep Tennesseans safe."

Lawmakers have been under pressure by protestors, activists, students and families from around the state to develop legislative solutions since the school shooting.

An estimated 88 people have died in 17 mass shootings during the first 111 days of 2023.

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Tennessee governor calls for special legislative session to work on ... - khqa.com

The Columbian on how for sake of the planet, treat every day as Earth Day:

Saturday is Earth Day, an annual designation that promotes a partnership for the planet. While several local events are scheduled and while millions of people across the globe will participate in activities, the idea of Earth Day is a misnomer. Concern for the planet and sustainability should guide our actions every day, not just once a year.

Earth Day was first launched in 1970. Denis Hayes, coordinator of that initial Earth Day, grew up in Camas, Washington, and graduated from Clark College before attending Stanford University. Since helping to launch the observance which was the brainchild of Wisconsin Sen. Gaylord Nelson Hayes has been a leader in the environmental movement. In 1999, Time magazine lauded him as Hero of the Planet.

Hayes path in environmentalism demonstrates the fits and starts that have affected the movement. During the Jimmy Carter administration, he headed the federal governments solar energy research effort; the programs budget was slashed whenRonald Reaganentered theWhite House.

In 1993, Hayes said: I think that the greatest crime against the environment will be the decision early on in the Reagan years to shut down the renewable energy development program to the extent that they could. Research that was being done on solar, wind, geothermal, biomass and other renewable, sustainable, safe, benign, resilient, decentralized energy sources came to a halt.

Government policy can seem out of reach to average citizens, and protecting the environment can appear intractable. ButEarth Dayis a reminder that we all can play a role in developing sustainable habits.

As theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationstresses, Protecting our planet begins with you. The administrations website offers 10 easy recommendations for helping the environment, including Reduce, reuse, recycle, conserve water and plant a tree.

Perhaps most important is the recommendation to become educated about environmental issues: When you further your own education, you can help others understand the importance and value of our natural resources.

Such education is particularly important these days, with climate change influencing policy decisions and fueling political discord. The latest report from theUnited NationsIntergovernmental Panelon Climate Change warns that the world is close to a dangerous threshold, with the burning of fossil fuels contributing to rising temperatures. The IPCC chair said, The choices we make now and in the next few years will reverberate around the world for hundreds, even thousands, of years.

An increase in frequency and intensity of wildfires, shrinking glaciers and rising sea levels in our state make clear the local impact of climate change. A diminishingColorado Riverin theSouthwest United Statesmakes clear the national and global impact. The river provides irrigation for much of the nations food production, and it is drying up.

Earth Day offers an opportunity to ponder and recognize how environmental issues are intertwined and how our actions can have a broad influence.

Whether or not you are able to participate inEarth Dayevents, we offer a gentle reminder: Every day should beEarth Day.

Former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger, who served Illinois 11th Congressional District and later the 16th from 2011 to early this year, is one of the Republican Partys most significant truth tellers. Kinzinger is now a political commentator. In his blistering farewell address to Congress in December, Kinzinger said: Where Republicans once believed that limited government meant lower taxes and more autonomy, today, limited government means inciting violence against government officials.

On Monday night, Kinzinger spoke in Chicago at a meeting organized by The Joyce Foundation. In a session moderated by a former Tribune reporter, White House official and Democratic strategist, David Axelrod, the former congressman spoke alongside Tim Heaphy, the chief counsel and lead investigator for the Jan. 6 House committee.

This was a left-leaning audience, receptive to sharp criticism of the Republican right and far friendlier to Kinzinger than many members of his own party. But something Kinzinger said at the Arts Club caught our attention after the conversation turned to recent school shootings.

Second Amendment people, Kinzinger said, should be on the front line of gun control.

In essence, Kinzinger was saying, the people who are interested in guns, and most likely to own them, actually know far more about what works and what does not in the matter of gun control than those who have no such knowledge. And as experts on guns, he said, they are thus morally obligated to use that expertise to solve what is clearly a crisis, given all the recent examples of emotionally troubled people acquiring powerful weaponry and using them to take innocent lives, often of children.

Many of them already know this, he implied, at least deep down, and are possibly just waiting to be asked in the right way.

Therefore, rather than seeing fervent supporters of the Second Amendment as the opposition to be defeated, he suggested, those who want to see sensible regulations on gun ownership, such as background checks, age restrictions and red flag laws, should see Second Amendment people as potential experts and allies. They know guns better than those who merely despise them.

Kinzinger was engaged in realpolitik here, noting that the constitutional protection for personal ownership of guns is unlikely to go away in our lifetimes. Better, then, to find common ground when it comes to the kinds of reform for which weve advocated here often.

Kinzinger is not the only person who has suggested that Americans try harder to find common ground in the interests of common-sense solutions. At a recent meeting in Austin, Texas, organized by the American Press Institute, a young nonprofit called The Flip Side spoke of its mission to help bridge the gap between liberals and conservatives, telling assembled opinion journalists from major newspapers that the use of less partisan language and tonality has proved to be a far more effective generator of meaningful common-sense change than rhetorical demonization.

We could not agree more. And gun control is not the only issue to which that applies, but its surely the biggest emergency.

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Views from the nations press - Longmont Times-Call

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. - Today, Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey recapped his first 100 days in office. He was sworn in as Missouris 44th Attorney General on January 3, 2023.

When sworn in as Missouris 44th Attorney General, I committed to protecting the Constitution, enforcing the laws as written, defending the state, supporting the counties, and training the next generation of public service-minded attorneys,said Attorney General Bailey.From handling the largest First Amendment case in a generation and protecting children, to obtaining restitution for consumers and assisting local prosecutors across the state to put away violent criminals, Im proud of what my office has accomplished in my first 100 days. We will continue to defend Missourians in the days ahead.

As part of his commitment to protect the Constitution, General Bailey achieved significant successes in his landmark First Amendment lawsuit,Missouri v. Biden, which asserts that the federal government has colluded with and coerced major social media companies to censor free speech on social media platforms.The case continues to uncover valuable information about the close coordination between major social media companies, the FBI, and the Department of Homeland Security(DHS) in the year leading up to the 2020 election.General Bailey filed a motion for preliminary injunction against the Biden Administration, citing 1,432 facts that showed collusive efforts between the federal government and the major social media companies to censor speech. The judge denied the Biden Administrations motion to dismiss the lawsuit and set the matter for a merits hearing this spring.

General Bailey also staunchly defended Missourians Second Amendment rights, as demonstrated by his lawsuit against the Biden Administration for its unconstitutional ban on pistol braces. His office also appealed a ruling declaring the Second Amendment Preservation Act unconstitutional; arguments will be heard in the coming months. Moreover, General Bailey filed multiple amicus briefs in defense of gun rights, specifically challenging an unlawful New York law that attempts to strip churchgoers of their right to protect themselves.

Additionally, General Bailey participated in oral arguments at the United States Supreme Court in his challenge to President Bidens unconstitutional plan to saddle working Americans with student loan debt. Missouri argued that the Biden Administration lacks the constitutional and statutory authority to authorize such spending without express congressional approval. The Court will rule in the coming months.

In an effort to enforce the laws as written, General Bailey launched an investigation into a St. Louis pediatric transgender center that has been accused by a whistleblower of using experimental drugs on children, distributing puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones without individualized assessments, and giving children life-altering drugs without full and informed parental consent. In conjunction with the investigation, his office opened an online form where those who have experienced harm from gender transition interventions or witnessed troubling practices at transition clinics in Missouri may submit their concerns. General Bailey also issued an emergency regulation clarifying that state law already prohibits performing experimental procedures, such as gender transition interventions, in the absence of specific guardrails. The regulation will last until February 6, 2024.

General Bailey also filed a writ of quo warranto against St. Louis Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner to remove her from office for failing to do her job for the people of St. Louis. The suits allegations include that the Circuit Attorneys Office has failed to (1) prosecute cases to resolution, (2) inform and confer with victims, and (3) review and file cases submitted by the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department. The breadth of her failures are detailed in a 121-page amended petition which contains ten individual counts of willful neglect and wrongdoing.

As part of his commitment to protect the lives of the unborn, General Bailey worked to enforce state and federal abortion laws. He put major pharmacies on notice that they would be violating both state and federal law if they moved forward in their decision to distribute abortion pills through the mail, after which Walgreens announced that they would comply with the law. The pharmacies threatened actions were based on a new rule put out by the FDA which abandons the longstanding ban on remote prescription and administration of chemical abortion pills. General Bailey filed an amicus brief in a Texas case calling for a preliminary injunction, which the judge granted, thereby enjoining the FDAs approval of chemical abortion pills to be shipped in the mail. This case is now pending before the United States Supreme Court.

In order to fight back against the rise of the federal administrative state, General Bailey filed suit with 23 other attorneys general against the Biden Administrations Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule that attempts to illegally expand federal authority over water throughout the country. The Court granted General Baileys motion for preliminary injunction, halting President Bidens overreaching WOTUS rule.

Further, General Bailey joined 19 other states in filing suit against the Department of Homeland Security for allowing tens of thousands of illegal immigrants to enter the United States per month without a legal screening process. He also filed suit against Bidens Department of Labor for their rule allowing 401(k) managers to direct their clients money into investments based on their supposed environmental impact rather than their financial returns.These ideologically based actions by federal bureaucracies, acting without Congressional authority, threaten the stability of the American legal system.

General Bailey also authored several letters and filed many amicus briefs in order to preserve the freedom to cook with gas stoves, challenge woke environmental, social, and governance investment efforts, and protect womens sports, amongst other issues.

In keeping with his statutory duty to defend the state and its consumers from fraud, General Bailey joined a coalition of seven states in shutting down a massive Texas-based robocall operation that blasted billions of illegal robocalls to people across the country. His office also obtained a consent judgement against Vacation Consulting Services, a Missouri-based company that offered timeshare exit services around the country, for failing to let consumers out of their timeshare agreements. The judgment resulted in $700,000 in restitution for consumers. Further, General Baileys office obtained a consent judgment against a dog breeder, resulting in a maximum sentence of $10,000 in fines and the removal of her license.

In order to support the counties, the Missouri Attorney Generals Office (AGO) assisted several local prosecutors in obtaining criminal convictions. Assisting Warren County, the AGO obtained nine felony convictions against Shawn Kavanagh in connection with multiple murders. He was sentenced to life without parole. Assisting Ripley County, the AGO obtained convictions against Danisha Price for involuntary manslaughter in the first degree, tampering with physical evidence, abandonment of a corpse, five counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and one count of resisting arrest. Assisting Pemiscot County, the office secured thirteen felony convictions against Frank Parry of Steele, Missouri, for sexually abusing two minors, one for an extended period of time. Assisting Wayne County, the AGO obtained a 33-year prison sentence in the deadly shooting of a twelve year old child. Assisting Monroe County, the Attorney General Baileys office obtained seven felony convictions against Robert Lee Sims, Jr. of Madison, Missouri, for sexually abusing and exploiting a minor victim over many years. Assisting the Shannon County Prosecutors Office, the AGO secured a guilty verdict against Daymond Reeves for the 2020 murder of Allan Brewer. Reeves was sentenced to life without the possibility for parole for first degree murder and fifteen years for armed criminal action. These are only a fraction of the convictions secured by the Attorney Generals Office in the past 100 days.

As part of his commitment to train the next generation of public service-minded attorneys, General Bailey partnered with the University of Missouri School of Law to launch a law student practicum designed to help law students learn from practicing attorneys and gain real world experience while earning credit towards their law degree.He also implemented a new Trial Masters program for attorneys in his office, which partners young attorneys with experienced litigators to prepare them for trial in a mentoring relationship. This program draws upon the significant expertise of Missouris finest trial lawyers to increase and elevate the services provided by the AGO in defending the rights of all Missourians.

A breakdown of the first 100 days by section of the office can be found below:

Consumer Protection:

Public Safety:

Medicaid Fraud:

Criminal Appeals:

Governmental Affairs:

Labor:

Financial Services:

Litigation:

Im passionate about defending the Constitution, upholding the rule of law, and protecting the liberties of the people of the state of Missouri,said Attorney General Bailey.Im proud of the successes weve had in my first 100 days, and Im excited to see all this office will achieve moving forward.

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Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey Recaps First 100 Days in ... - Missouri Attorney General's Office

We are seeing, around the country, in a myriad of ways, those who would dare to attack fundamental rights and, by extension, attack our democracy. Around our country, supposed so-called extremist leaders dare to silence the voices of the people.

Vice President Kamala Harris

What happened to us? When did we decide we were going to allow a small minority to dictate to the majority how life in America would be? Did it begin with the current speaker of the House being held hostage by a handful of radicals and taking 15 votes to be confirmed? Was it when the National Rifle Association was taken over by radicals who seemingly couldnt care less about the tens of thousands of people who are being slaughtered daily?

Radicals are nothing new to America. Our nation was founded by radicals when people like Ethan Allen organized a group of Vermonters who would become known as the Green Mountain Boys to push back against the state of New Yorks attempt to grab Allens land. Were Allens radical actions justified? One could argue they were, as it helped move Vermont into the Revolutionary War against a tyrannical English government. Most assuredly, England looked at us as being radicals and were not happy with our behavior. Frankly, Ive always been rather proud of our radical heritage. Radicals tend to stand up for what they believe is right and in the best interest of our nation. So, whats changed?

The radicals of today are 100% different from the radicals of the 1770s. Todays radicals are out of step with the majority of Americans. The overwhelming majority of Americans want our leaders to do something about the gun violence epidemic. Instead of taking action, our leaders cower in fear of the NRA and the radical gun lovers, who are so insecure and fearful that they cannot leave their house unless they are armed. This well-armed radical minority has been holding America hostage for years now, primarily because we have let them.

From The Guardian: South Dakotas governor told an audience of people that her 2-year-old grandchild has several guns. While speaking on Friday at a National Rifle Association, Republican Gov. Kristi Noem told audience members her toddler grandchild has multiple guns. Isnt that possibly sending the wrong message in light of the fact a young lady was recently shot and killed for doing nothing more than turning around in someones driveway?

The gun radicals are not the only radicals holding our country hostage. We now have a powerful minority of people who are insisting on imposing their religious beliefs on the majority. Every poll taken shows the majority of Americans supported Roe v. Wade and opposes the new Dobbs decision handed down by the Supreme Court, a court that now hosts some radicals. Within the last couple of weeks, we witnessed one radical judge from Texas render a decision that stripped every woman of her right to use a prescribed abortion pill. That decision is on hold while under appeal, but one judge imposed his will on millions of Americans.

The answer is becoming clear. The majority of Americans either push back against the radicals who are aggressively imposing their will onto others, or be prepared to be governed by these folks. As an independent Vermonter, I have no desire to let someone from the Deep South tell my daughter what she can, or cannot, do with her body. I am sickened by the book-banning movement taking place in Florida and other states. I am concerned about the rise of fascism in America.

You say I worry too much? Maybe, but one only needs to look at history to see how easy it is to lose our country to radicals. Its happening right before our eyes. What would fighting back look like? We might start by orchestrating a movement to eliminate the Second Amendment in our Constitution. If ever there was an amendment that has become obsolete, its the Second Amendment. James Madison introduced the Second Amendment to placate various fears regarding the military, the balance of power between the federal and state governments, and the use of standing armies. At the time it was adopted, the muzzleloader was the gun of the day. Its unlikely our forefathers envisioned guns with 60-round clips. Had they been able to see the future, do you really believe they wouldve adopted this amendment?

Removing the Second Amendment would be a bold move, but times are demanding bold action. I say this as a gun guy. I have more than a few guns. I like guns. They are under lock and key, and I dont feel compelled to carry them around with me. I consider myself to be a responsible gun owner; however, there are too many guns in our society today and too many people who shouldnt be allowed to own a stapler, much less anything about a gun.

We need more common sense. We need straightforward dialog. We need to do something to counter the attack radicals are working hard to impose their will on the majority. We dont have a lot of options. We either do something or wish we had; the latter is what happened in Germany in the 1930s.

Bob Stannard lives in Manchester Center.

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Stannard: We are all hostages | Perspective | timesargus.com - Barre Montpelier Times Argus

(The Center Square) Across the country, there is a push to declare gun violence as a public health crisis and impose a state of emergency in response to shootings.

Proponents of the Second Amendment are concerned the emergency declarations lay the groundwork for expanded government powers, as witnessed during the COVID-19 lockdowns.

U.S. Congressmen Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., raised those fears in a recent House Judiciary Committee meeting.

And our fellow Americans know the impact of folks up here in Washington declaring everything and anything a public health emergency, Gaetz said during the meeting. It means youre more likely to be locked in your homes, deprived of your freedoms, less healthy, less safe, less secure and less able to live a truly American life.

So know this: when the left talks about this as a public health emergency, get ready to see those enhanced authorities abused by the ATF [Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives], Gaetz said.

In the same hearing, U.S. Rep. Cori Bush, D-MO, called for gun violence to be recognized as a public health emergency.

In St. Louis and nationwide, gun violence is a public health emergency and common sense regulations are a necessity, Bushsaidduring the hearing.

Cities across the U.S. such as Flint, Michigan, Portland, Oregon, and Blakely, Georgia, have declared gun violence emergencies.

In New York, the cities of Rochester and Albany all declared a gun violence state of emergency. The state of New York declared a gun violence state of emergency in 2021.

Rochester has been under a current gun violence state of emergency since November 2021. Thatdeclarationallows the police department to shut down any commercial business that has had a shooting and is determined to be a nuisance after a review process.

The city of Rochesters press releasestated: The Proclamation gives the Mayor broad powers to protect life and property and to bring the emergency under control.

The state of New York gun violence emergencyordergives the governor the power to temporarily suspend or modify any statute, local law, ordinance, order, rule or regulation, or parts thereof, during a State disaster emergency if compliance with such would prevent, hinder, or delay action necessary to cope with the disaster emergency.

The Delaware state legislaturepassed a resolution in March declaring gun violence a public health crisis.

And what if President Joe Biden declared a national emergency over gun violence? The White House didnt respond to an email asking if Biden had considered such an option.

When a president declares a national emergency, there are at least 135 statutory powers that could be made available, according to the Brennan Center.

Debate over the Second Amendment is clouded with propaganda terms intended to diminish the right of law-abiding citizens to bear arms, said Stephen Halbrook, an expert on the Second Amendment and a senior fellow with the Independent Institute. Instead of criminals committing acts of violence with guns, the term gun violence implies that the guns commit the violence. Calling criminality with guns a public health crisis obscures that crime is volitional and may be repressed only by taking criminals off the streets. Guns create no national state of emergency, and recidivist violators create a state of emergency against every victim they attack.

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Gun violence emergencies prompt concerns of government overreach - Heartlander News