A measure that would add Louisiana to the long lists of Constitutional, or “permitless,” carry states has passed its first hurdle in the state legislature.

Senate Bill 1, authored by Republican state Sen. Blake Miguez, was approved on Feb. 20 by a 6-1 vote in the Senate Judiciary Committee and will now be considered in the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee.

The current Louisiana carry law prohibits the carrying of a concealed firearm, provides for criminal penalties, provides for certain exceptions to the offense, provides that Louisiana residents who meet certain eligibility requirements may apply for and be issued a concealed handgun permit, and requires the person to possess a valid concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun in the state. Under the proposed law, carry would be permitted for  a person who is 18 years of age or older and who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under any federal or state law.

Sen. Miguez said the measure would take power out of the government’s hands that it was never supposed to have in the first place.

“Government is not here to place barriers to our constitutional rights,” Miguez told USA Today Network. “Criminals already carry concealed handguns without government permission.”

Miguez further said that the measure would give violent criminals a reason to worry about their prospective victims’ ability to defend themselves.

“It fights crime by allowing innocent individuals to defend themselves, putting them on equal footing with vicious criminals,” Miguez said.

If approved by the Louisiana state legislature and signed by Gov. Jeff Landry, the measure would take effect on April 19, 2024. Landry, a Republican, has voiced his support for such a measure in the past.

“I have always said we are going to pass constitutional carry,” Landry said back in December. “I support further strengthening the rights of our citizens and their ability to exercise their Second Amendment right. As a police officer, I never went to a crime scene in which the perpetrator had a concealed carry permit.”

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR

35 COMMENTS

  1. I have friends and family in Louisiana. The best food, best friends and the most terrible enemies you could want. Uncle Howard was murdered in New Orleans, so there’s that. Be careful.

    • One of my self defense DGU’s happened in New Orleans. Had just left a restaurant after dinner, was walking out to the car and this crazy woman came running down the sidewalk into the parking lot and slammed right into me and grabbed hold of my shirt and started swinging an 8″ butchers knife trying to stab while screaming something unintelligible over and over again. From initial contact to when I fired was about 5 seconds according to another person who witnessed it from a window of the restaurant: I tried to pull away and was slamming her with blows and fending off her stabbing attempts initially but she had a pretty good grip and held on and was moving with me and kept stabbing away at me and I knew I would not be able to keep fending off her knife for long because chances are really good one of them will strike home in a persistent attack like that so I managed to draw and fire and she went down.

      Cops told me she had attacked others before with hands/feet or a brick, and she was one of their ‘frequent flyers’, but this was the first time they knew of that she had used a knife.

      For the criminal and mentally-ill loving and facilitating bleeding heart liberals, anti-gun, and snowflakes: She lived.

      • The overwhelming majority of people in the US will go through their entire lives without being involved in a DGU, or a violent incident. How is it that you’ve been involved in more than one?

        • Location can make a huge difference especially when one considers most of the violence happens in municipal zones.

        • I’ve had several.

          Most took place in the area (and surrounding) where we used to live. Basically, due to the democrats ‘policies’ at the time the area became overrun with gangs and criminals from across the state line and with them came their crime and violence.

          Actually, its not entirely true that “The overwhelming majority of people in the US will go through their entire lives without being involved in … or a violent incident.” — for every 6 hours (used to be 8 hours, not any more) a person spends in public view (e.g. driving in traffic, at the grocery store, out any place where people frequent) a person is targeted as a potential victim of a violent crime at least three times. That in its self is violent (in intent), it just hasn’t been enacted yet and may not be, but the thing is that a lot of people do not understand is that the criminal gets to pick the time and place and if it will or will not happen. The only thing you can do is be prepared for when the violent criminal chooses that time and place.

        • JA, where do you get your stats. I know a lot of folks that have been forced to defend themselves. Some with guns. Some without. Not counting my military time I’ve been shot at and threatened with knives more than once.

          I have yet to see an area, and I’ve moved around a fair bit, that was crime and violence free.

        • In the United States the average one way commute time is 27.6 minutes. During that 27.6 minutes of commute (e.g. to/from work, to/from shopping, to/from home, etc…), in an ‘city urban’ setting, between the hours of 4 AM and 9 PM, an average person will unknowingly, encounter (collectively) an average of 37 violent criminal offenders looking for targets of opportunity.

  2. Update: The Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee passed SB1 with amendments today.
    Tomorrow(Thursday) SB1 goes before the full Senate and a final passage.
    Democratic Senators are making attempts to undermine SB1 which would turn it into just another permit system. If the Senate does not approve the amendment attached today, then SB1 will go to the House as a clean bill.

  3. The main man driving this is Rep. Danny McCormick. I met him while he was in the midst of going door to door campaigning during his first election. I spoke to him in a driveway no holds barred about Protecting the Second Amendment, I couldn’t ask for a better person to stand for the 2A. And by all accounts the New Republican Governor will sign it into law.

    • Debbie, I have met Rep McCormick too and he is a nice person. This is his 5th consecutive year to file CC bills; however, he is not the driving force behind SB 1. In fact he has not even coauthored the bill see here: https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/BillInfo.aspx?i=245605
      Rep McCormick stated yesterday that he supports SB1 and will coauthor when it reaches the House.
      The driving force is Senator Miguez and several other Senators who have been working with Sen Miguez.
      At this time the Senate is in session but no video/audio feed. Supposedly there is an outage of some sort that may be affecting the video/audio feeds.

      • The man on the front line taking the arrows, speaking on TV, sends email to me has been McCormick. Surely there are others there has to be however as I see it McCormick sets the pace.

        Nonetheless nice to see my Mary Poppins level post was released from moderator jail.

  4. C’mon Louisiana finish yer job. I carry in Indiana legally although I don’t live there. Yet.

    • former water walker, I am cautiously optimistic. It will pass the Senate tomorrow with either 28/29 yeahs out of the 39 member chamber unless there is a surprise of some kind and anything is possible.
      The House as of now will adjourn after tomorrow’s meeting and reconvene Sunday at 6 P M.
      However it is predicted to have the Governor’s signature by this time next week. We shall see.

  5. Get this one through now, but come back later and repeal Paragraph O.2. Horrible restriction, says nobody can carry “into the private residence of another without first receiving the consent of that person.”

    Sure, allow anyone to forbid carry, but it’s absurd to make every person ask permission BEFORE entering someone’s house.

    • This is just another one of those requirements that try to make is so cumbersome to carry, that you just won’t.

      As with every other gun-control law, that one does nothing to make anyone safer, as any criminal with malicious intent will obviously NOT ask first.

      • That’s just common courtesy. A man’s home is his castle, and if he doesn’t want you to bring a weapon into his house, you should honor his rule. Then it’s your choice whether or not to leave his premises or put your gun in your car.

        • “Why do you think you have the right to bring something into someone’s home if they object?”

          he did not say that

        • Courtesy,

          I agree; any deluded Leftist/fascist has the right to bar carry in their personal property . . . not that they should, but that they have that right. And if i know that an acquaintance is such a hoplophobe that they ban carry in their residence (or place of business), then I honor that and just . . . never go there, again.

          I cannot really call them “friends” if they would deprive me of my RIGHT to self-defense. I don’t talk politics or policy with acquaintances – it’s usually a loser game. If THEY raise the issue, I will usually stay silent, and then GTFO of Dodge as soon as I can do so.

          The chances of educating a died-in-the-wool Leftist/fascist are slim and none – and Slim just left the building. It amuses me, however, that so many of my Leftist/fascist friends live in blissful ignorance of the fact that I have carried around then the entire time I’ve known them. What they don’t know won’t hurt them, but it may very well save my (and their) lives.

          Unlike come on this forum, I have (thank GOD!!) never had to deploy a firearm in self-defense, and I hope I never do. But if the need arises, I will be prepared. I would hope you would honor a person’s legitimate right to set rules for visitors to their property (residential or business). If they would make being defenseless a requirement for visiting their home or place of business? I have alternatives.

          Isn’t it interesting that Leftist/fascists, and blue states/cities seem so intent on BANNING personal defensive carry, yet only one or two red jurisdictions have gone the other way and REQUIRED being armed. I don’t want someone owning/carrying who isn’t willing to get decent basic training, but, if some idiot acquaintance wants to carry without proper training, I wouldn’t ban them from my property – but I’d sure as hell keep a close eye on them while they were there!

        • “he did not say that”

          You’re right — Jim said “concealed is concealed.” I drew an inference from that statement: “I’ll bring my weapon into your home regardless of your wishes; I’ll just keep it hidden so that you don’t know about it.”

    • TFred, Yep that should be stricken; but concealed is concealed.
      It may be another’s house but it is my life.
      Also, the requirement to tell a LEO you are carrying is asinine, do they really think bad guys are going to say they are carrying.

      • ” …concealed is concealed.
        It may be another’s house but it is my life.”

        Does your 2nd Amendment right give you the right to violate your neighbor’s right?

Comments are closed.