The ongoing saga between the Memphis City Council and the Shelby County Election Commission has escalated with the Council's decision to file a lawsuit, seeking to place gun control measures on the November ballot. Action News 5 reported that the litigation was sparked after the Election Commission, following guidance from the state election coordinator, opted not to include three gun control initiatives previously approved by the Council.
The contentious measures include the reintroduction of handgun permits, a prohibition on future sales of assault rifles, and the establishment of a "red flag" law, which would allow for the seizure of firearms from individuals deemed a risk; these have now become the focus of a broader debate on local versus state control over gun legislation and the lawsuit arrives amidst warnings from GOP leadership that Memphis' actions could result in a loss of about $78 million in state sales tax revenue—a point of friction that underscores the fierce divide, as Local Memphis outlines, between state authority and the city's pursuit to tailor policies to its citizenry's needs.
Amid this legal dispute, Tennessee Secretary of State Tre Hargett has firmly stated that the measure shall not proceed to the November ballot, a decision that Shelby County Election Commission is adhering to. However, State Representative Antonio Parkinson lamented the state's inaction on gun control, telling Local Memphis, "Guns are out there and shootings are happening on a regular basis. We failed miserably." His stark admission encapsulates the frustration felt by many who support the Council's move to let the voters decide on the issue directly.
Nevertheless, Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton warns of consequences, threatening to draft legislation that would financially penalize Memphis or any local government attempting to circumvent state laws on gun control with measures for not just this instance but also potentially setting a precedent as Local Memphis further details, "If the local government doesn’t have the authority or the ability or they’re trying to override state law, which they cannot do, then there needs to be a consequence to make sure that they don’t go down that road," he said, punctuating the ongoing struggle between state and local governance.
With court dates yet to be set, the City Council's attempt to challenge the decision not to include the gun control referendum on the ballot remains uncertain, while the threat of a significant financial cut looms over its efforts. While the merit of the Council's lawsuit is still in question, what is clear is the palpable tension between the competing interests of state legislation and local autonomy. The Daily Memphian confirms the lawsuit filing but offers no commentary on its potential outcomes or implications for Memphis politics.
