Tennessee lawmakers have put off a decision on whether to allow guns on college campuses after a vote was taken with the main sponsor out of the chamber. Rep. Andy Holt had left the room briefly when fellow Republican Jim Coley proposed deferring the bill to allow further study, the
Knoxville News Sentinel reports.
"I was surprised and a little bit disappointed," said Holt, who spoke to Coley after the session to express his frustration. “I don’t think there’s safety in being a sitting duck." He said he plans to reintroduce the bill after the summer break.
Staff and faculty members, students, and parents from the University of Tennessee were ready to testify against Holt’s bill, which now is dead for this session.
"We're pleased that the legislation did not go through," said UT Police Chief Gloria Graham. "This was a big concern to us, collectively."
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