If more evidence is needed to prove that the NRA owns our state lawmakers—and none really is—this is it. That bill called MaKayla’s Law, which is aimed at saving kids’ lives, looks like it’s DOA in the legislature because the NRA is against it.

The legislation makes it a crime for gun owners to leave firearms unlocked and accessible to children. It’s named after an 8-year-old Jefferson County girl killed last year by an 11-year-old neighbor because she wouldn't let him play with her puppy. The boy used his father's shotgun.

The bill came up yesterday in the Senate Judiciary Committee. MaKayla's mother testified in support of it, and so did a district attorney. The sponsor—Sen. Sara Kyle, D-Memphis—said something needs to be done to stop children from getting guns. She said there were 25 shootings involving children in Tennessee last year, resulting in 10 deaths.

It’s the kind of obviously needed bill that should sail through the legislature.Twenty-seven states have passed similar laws.

But the NRA’s lobbyist, Erin Luper, testified against it, and suddenly Kyle was postponing any vote “for at least two weeks if not longer.”

“I acknowledge there are questions,” Kyle said sheepishly, aware that she can’t antagonize the NRA if her bill is to have any chance of passing ever.

Luper said all gun owners need to do is go to the NRA’s website and read about safety. For kids, she said, there’s the NRA’s Eddie the Eagle program. She made a little joke about how she wouldn’t make the committee hear her sing the Eddie the Eagle jingle.

“We do take the position that it is the gun owner’s responsibility to seek information, education and training on how to safely store firearms and not the state’s position to require the firearm owner to do so,” Luper said.

Sen. Lee Harris, D-Memphis, seemed astonished.

“Is there any punishment that we could agree to for cases of serious misconduct that results in loss of life and endangerment of kids?” he asked.

“We’d be more than happy to review any proposed legislation,” Luper said. “But as far as what’s outlined here, we don’t think that this requirement is something that we would support the state imposing on a gun owner.”

It makes you wonder why voters even bother to elect legislators. Let’s just save time and turn it all over to the NRA.