Tennessee House passes bill that would allow armed teachers

The Tennessee House passed a bill Monday that would allow some public school teachers to carry concealed guns on campus.

Why it matters: This was the last legislative hurdle for the measure before it goes to Gov. Bill Lee's desk.

Driving the news: The measure is an extension of long-running Republican efforts to chip away at firearm restrictions. The bill passed along party lines in the House and Senate.

• Protesters screamed out from the House gallery and chanted "Blood on your hands!" as lawmakers voted.

State of play: Activists have pleaded with lawmakers to enact modest gun-control laws in the aftermath of the mass shooting at The Covenant School . But the Republican supermajority has refused to even debate such measures and instead went the opposite direction Monday.

Republican lawmakers say allowing teachers to carry guns will improve school safety.

• Democrats and activists, including some Covenant parents , say arming teachers would make schools more dangerous while increasing the likelihood of accidents.

Zoom in: The bill would allow K-12 public school employees to carry a gun if they pass a background check, receive training and meet other requirements .

• School leaders would also need to sign off.
• A Metro Nashville Public Schools spokesperson told the Nashville Banner the district agrees "it is best and safest for only approved active-duty law enforcement to carry weapons on campus."

The big picture: The Giffords Law Center reports that about half of the states have laws allowing some school employees to carry concealed guns.

Editor's note: This is a breaking story and may be updated with additional details.