Lee also called upon the state legislature to pass a “red flag” law that will make it easier to remove guns from people who pose a danger to themselves or others.

“I’m asking the General Assembly to bring forward an order of protection law,” Lee told reporters in Nashville, according to The Tennessean. “A new, strong order of protection law will provide the broader population cover, safety, from those who are a danger to themselves or the population.”

Lee’s call for reform comes after a lone shooter killed three children and three adults at The Covenant School in Nashville on April 3.

The suspect in the Covenant case, 28-year-old Audrey Hale, had been receiving treatment for an “emotional disorder,” according to Nashville police, but still bought seven firearms legally in recent years.

The executive order mandates government offices and law enforcement to report all relevant criminal and court mental health information to the state instant background check system within 72 hours of receiving it. The order also gives the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation 60 days to submit a report detailing ways the current background check system could be improved.

Lee’s call for a red flag law presents more of a challenge in the state legislature, where Republicans hold strong majorities in both houses. While an ongoing string of mass shootings and an uptick in gun violence over the last two years has driven reform in blue states, red states have largely continued to embrace efforts to loosen firearm restrictions.

Lee signed a “constitutional carry” bill into law in 2021, which did away with the requirement to seek a permit to carry a gun – a priority among conservative state lawmakers across the country. With the passage of a similar measure in Florida this month, more than half of states now recognize constitutional carry.

Still, Lee says he hopes his colleagues will see a greater need for reform after this month’s shooting.