Belmont University Research Symposium (BURS)

Publication Date

Spring 2024

College

Health Sciences & Nursing, Gordon E. Inman College of

Department

Social Work, Department of

BURS Faculty Advisor

Sabrina Sullenberger

Presentation Type

Oral Presentation

Abstract

In response to the fatal shooting of 18-year-old Jillian Ludwig, Tennessee lawmakers have advanced HB 1640 and SB 1769 through the legislature, garnering wide-reaching bipartisan and public support. The bill, dubbed Jillian’s Law, would prohibit the purchase or possession of a firearm by individuals deemed incompetent to stand trial, providing a much-needed piece of gun reform in a state with little to no restrictions. However, Jillian’s Law has raised concerns among disability advocates due to its punitive effect on people with disabilities. If passed, the law would streamline the process of involuntarily committing an individual who has been convicted of a criminal offense and deemed mentally incompetent to a mental institution. Disability Rights Tennessee has forewarned that increased institutionalization is a band-aid solution that will do nothing to solve the root issue, which is Tennessee’s lack of stringent support networks for people with disabilities who commit violent crimes. While gun reform legislation is critical for advancing social justice and worth of the individual, these social work values are concurrently undermined by the accelerated institutionalization of people with disabilities that would result from this bill. Lawmakers should amend the bill to allocate resources towards community-based treatment rather than institutionalization so that individuals with intellectual disabilities can receive the care that they need and communities can be kept safe.

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