Louisiana lawmakers to debate bills expanding where guns can be carried

BATON ROUGE — Several bills that would change Louisiana’s laws on where firearms can be legally carried are scheduled for discussion in the state House in the coming days.

Among the proposals are measures that would allow out-of-state residents to apply for a Louisiana concealed handgun permit, permit firearms to be carried closer to school property, and allow bystanders to carry guns along parade routes.

These bills follow a law passed last year allowing individuals 18 and older to carry concealed weapons in public without a permit, as long as they are not prohibited under federal or state law from possessing a firearm.

Under current Louisiana law, a state-issued concealed carry permit is required to possess a firearm within 1,000 feet of a school.

Senate Bill 101 would change that, allowing anyone legally permitted to carry a firearm to do so up to a school’s property line. The bill would also remove “vocational-technical” schools from the legal definition of “school,” effectively eliminating gun-free zones at those campuses statewide.

House Bill 393 would permit spectators or bystanders at parades to carry firearms, provided they are not participating in the parade and are otherwise legally permitted to have a weapon.

State law currently prohibits carrying concealed handguns in several locations, including parades and demonstrations held under a government-issued permit.

Last year, a bill from Rep. Mandie Landry, D-New Orleans, proposed making it illegal to carry firearms along parade routes without a concealed carry permit, but it did not advance out of the House.

House Bill 407 would repeal the requirement that concealed handgun permit applicants be Louisiana residents, allowing non-residents to apply for and obtain a permit.

All three bills are scheduled for committee review or House floor debate on June 3.

Download the Unfiltered with Kiran app from the Apple App Store and Google Play to stay updated on the latest news across the Capital area. 

Support UWK and its mission to deliver The News You Deserve. Unfiltered. Become a monthly patron on Patreon today!

Leave a Reply