Tennessee Democratic Lawmaker Proposes ‘Thoughts and Prayers Tax’ on Firearm Sales

In Tennessee, a lawmaker from the Democratic party, Bo Mitchell, has put forward a new idea. He wants to add a 15% tax when people buy guns from stores. The money collected from this tax would go to the Tennessee Department of Education. This money would be used to pay for mental health counselors in public schools, helping kids in both elementary and high schools.

The idea behind Mitchell’s bill, known as HB 2193, is to help solve a problem. Some children are at risk because there are guns in their homes that are not kept safely. By having more counselors in schools, they hope to support these children better.

However, not everyone likes this idea. A Republican named Jeremy Faison, who also works in the Tennessee government, thinks the bill is not a good idea. He says it will make it harder and more expensive for people who follow the law to protect themselves.

People have different opinions about this bill. Some don’t like the idea of the new tax. They worry it will take away their rights and cost them more money. Others think it’s a good way to help children’s mental health in schools.

Even though the bill is being talked about, it might not go very far. The Tennessee government is mostly made up of Republicans, and they have more power. This makes it hard for the bill to be approved.

As people continue to discuss this bill, it shows how complicated the topics of gun control and mental health in schools are in Tennessee. It’s not clear yet what will happen with this bill as the conversation goes on.