MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis City Council wants gun violence addressed at the state level for next year's legislative session.
During Tuesday's committee meeting, board members said keeping Memphis residents safe is a top priority. They announced their plan to press state lawmakers to change gun laws.
A week ago, Shelby County voters overwhelmingly passed all three gun referendums on Election Day.
Memphis City councilwoman Jerri Green said the board has a goal to change gun reform in Tennessee.
"As council people we see it, we hear it all the time from police officers, from community members, gun violence is overtaking our city, and we've got to do something about it," Green said. "Our city is bleeding out, and we're asking for emergency help from the state."
Green said the council plans to create an ordinance in the event gun legislation changes during next year's session. She told ABC24 their board wants a retreat with state lawmakers and lobby at the state capital.
"We're asking for very simple things like background checks, no permit less carry, we want people not to have weapons of war near our children at schools. These are really basic common-sense things," she said.
Green said she believes what Memphis accomplished on Election Day with passing all proposed gun referendums could inspire other cities across the state.
"I hope other places like Nashville, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jackson - I hope they take up these referendums in upcoming elections too so that the governor and the state legislators can see that it is not just Memphis. It is Tennesseans across the board," Green said.
State Senator Brent Taylor sent ABC24 the following statement in response to the Memphis City council's effort to change the state's gun legislation:
“As much as some people want the recently approved gun control measures to be implemented, they will not become law. Unfortunately, the Memphis City Council misled the public. They defrauded Memphians into thinking that if citizens voted for the ballot initiatives, they would become law.
Clearly, those referenda are as useful as a nutritional chart on a bag of ice since they violate state law and are unenforceable. You don’t have to be Einstein’s cousin to know state law supersedes local ordinance.
Should the city host a 'retreat”, I will not attend because there is nothing to discuss. There is no way in hell I’m going to participate in a discussion to disarm law abiding citizens in America’s most dangerous city when no one locally is holding criminals accountable. My colleagues and I are more interested in working with serious people to Make Memphis Matter by holding criminals accountable and increasing economic opportunities. This 'retreat' does neither."