The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence recently presented “report cards” to every state, measuring their efforts to reduce gun crimes and violence, and Tennessee flunked just about every category. In fact, our state scored a 7 out of a total of 100 points.
The categories included:
• Measures to Curb Firearm Trafficking, by regulating gun dealers, requiring lost or stolen guns to be reported to the police, and more. Out of a possible 35 points, Tennessee scored 3.
• Strengthening Brady Background Checks, especially by closing loopholes in laws at gun shows. Tennessee scored 0 out of 25.
• Protecting Child Safety, by requiring gun locks and requiring handgun purchasers to be 21 years old. Tennessee scored 0 out of 20.
• Banning Military-Style Assault Weapons. Tennessee has never bothered to do this, so we scored 0 out of 10.
• Making it harder to Carry Guns in Public Places. Considering that our state is now debating whether it’s okay to bring guns into places that serve alcohol, it’s no surprise that Tennessee scored only 4 out of 10 points in this category.
For a more detailed scoreguard of Tennessee, and see how we compare to other states, go here.