Tennessee taking action as Alabama Glock switch bill heads back to Senate

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — A bill banning Glock switches has been passed by both chambers in Alabama. It’ll go back to the Senate after the House made changes to some of the wording.

In Tennessee, lawmakers see it as a signal to take action in their own state.

A bill by state Rep. Phillip Ensler (D-Montgomery) makes it a class C felony to possess Glock switches of any kind. They’re currently banned on the federal level, but Ensler said making it a state law allows for district attorneys to get involved.

“The hope is that we deter people in the first place,” Ensler said. “If they know that there’s a state level ban, and they know that Alabama is taking it seriously, hopefully, it’ll stop people from having these in the first place.”

That’s why Tennessee state Sen. London Lamar (D-Memphis) introduced a similar bill that would make the possession a class E felony in her state. She said if Alabama can do it, so can Tennessee.

“The fact that the state of Alabama has taken a bold and courageous step to pass the legislation in both chambers with bipartisan support is a signal to those state in the South, like Tennessee,” Lamar said. “This is something that we can all agree on.”

Lamar said the bipartisan effort in Alabama can encourage Tennesseans to get on board.

“That is something that we can rally behind as southern states and as states all a part of this union who want everybody to have access to life, liberty and a pursuit of happiness without a fear of gun violence,” Lamar said.

Ensler said it will make a difference when it comes to gun violence.

“We know that it is an issue throughout the country, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a red state, a blue state,” Ensler said. “It’s a challenge that is everywhere.”

Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey expressed her support for the bill on social media. On X, she stated the bill will allow law enforcement in Alabama to get illegal Glock switches off the streets. She also stated she looks forward to signing the bill into law.