NASHVILLE, Tenn. — After Tennessee lawmakers spent months debating a slew of new laws during their legislative session, many of those statutes will go into effect Monday — ranging from abortion travel restrictions for minors, allowing the death penalty for child rape convictions and many more.
Death Penalty — Starting July 1, the state will be allowed to pursue capital punishment when an adult is convicted of aggravated rape of a child. Those convicted could be sentenced to death, imprisonment for life without possibility of parole, or imprisonment for life. Florida’s Gov. Ron DeSantisnearly a year ago. While the U.S.
School Safety — Public and private schools will be required to determine why a fire alarm went off before evacuating children from classrooms. The statute was inspired by a deadly Nashville elementary school shooting, where a shooter killed, last March. Smoke from the shooter’s weapon triggered the school’s fire alarm, but some students and teachers were unaware what was going on when they heard it.