Nashville, TN (WOKI) Governor Bill Lee officially made Tennessee the 27th state to ban Glock switches.

The Governor signed a bill Wednesday that ensures harsh penalties for anyone caught with a handgun displaying the device; that device allows users to convert semi-automatic firearms into illegal fully automatic machine guns.

The, now law, expands the definition of a machine gun in the state, elevating the charge from a Class E felony to a Class C felony.

These devices have been connected to several mass shootings. They are common in everyday street crime, which often poses a serious threat to responding officers.

The new law also expands penalties for felons found to be in possession of firearms in the state.