The second of two young Democratic state legislators whose expulsion by Tennessee’s Republican-led House provoked national backlash is expected to be reappointed to his seat in the state’s House of Representatives Wednesday.

If reappointed, Rep. Justin Pearson, D-Memphis, will join Rep. Justin Jones, D-Nashville, who returned to the House with the support of Nashville’s Metro Council after being removed for leading gun-reform protests on the chamber floor following this month’s mass shooting at a Nashville elementary school.

At least one of 13 commissioners in Shelby County, which Pearson represents, has committed to reappoint Pearson to his seat. The body will meet Wednesday afternoon to formally consider the issue.

Why were the lawmakers expelled?

Both Pearson and Jones, who are Black, had employed bullhorns during the protest and were expelled for violating House decorum. Along with Rep. Gloria Johnson, D-Knoxville, the so-called “Tennessee Three” had come under fire for approaching the podium in-session without being recognized.

On April 6, the House Republican supermajority removed Jones by a 72-25 vote and Pearson by a 69-26 vote after hours of rancorous debate. Johnson, who is white, avoided expulsion by one vote.

On Monday, Nashville’s progressive-leaning council, responsible for filling Jones’ vacancy, voted to reappoint him to his seat on an interim basis pending a special election. Hundreds of cheering supporters flanked Jones as he returned to the Capitol shortly afterward to be sworn in.

A swift national backlash

The expulsions sparked broad national fallout, prompting reaction from President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the NAACP, which framed the incident as “horrific (but) not surprising…. Especially in the South.”

In his defense prior to his expulsion, Jones called the process “a farce of democracy.”

Hundreds had assembled in the House galleries on March 30 to demand gun reform after six people, including three students, were fatally shot at The Covenant School in Nashville, the Volunteer State’s deadliest-ever school shooting.

Posting on social media afterward, Republican House Speaker Cameron Sexton called the legislators’ part in the protests “unacceptable” and described it as “an effort, unfortunately, to make themselves the victims.”

According to the Tennessean, Sexton called on Jones to speak within minutes of his reclaiming his seat and was ultimately pushed to gavel supporters into order twice during Jones’ remarks.

“Today, 78,000 people have a voice in this chamber once again,” Jones said. "No expulsion, no attempt to silence us, will stop us.”

Dig deeper:

• How the Nashville shooting and police response unfolded

• Nashville shooter planned, studied other school shootings for months

• Facing expulsion, Tennessee lawmaker pens letter to colleagues

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Tennessee Three': Second expelled lawmaker could return after removal