Louisiana Lawmakers Make Major Improvements to State’s Carry Laws

Louisiana’s annual legislative session has officially drawn to a close, and lawmakers have sent a number of good bills to Gov. Jeff Landry for his approval, including several measures that will bolster the state’s carry laws. 

HB 407, for instance, allows non-residents to apply for a Louisiana carry license, including a lifetime permit that won’t expire unless the licensee loses their right to keep and bear arms. While non-residents 18 and older who can lawfully possess a gun can carry without a permit in most places in Louisiana, the federal Gun-Free School Zone Act contains a provision that prohibits carrying within 1,000 feet of a school unless the individual possessing the firearm is “licensed to do so by the State in which the school zone is located or a political subdivision of the State”. In other words, permitless carry doesn’t apply in that location, and even if someone possesses a permit from a state that has reciprocity with Louisiana, that still doesn’t allow them to legally carry within that particular “gun-free zone.” 

SB 101 also addresses this issue by specifying that, at least under state law, any person who has a valid concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to Louisiana statute, by a state that has reciprocity with Louisiana, or a person carrying a handgun pursuant to Louisiana’s permitless carry statute, can carry within 1,000 feet of a school without committing a crime. 

Given that more than half the country no longer requires a permit to carry, that language desperately needs to be revised by Congress, but until then Louisiana lawmakers have at least provided visitors with a workaround. 

The bill also declares that privately-owned vo-tech schools are not considered “schools” under Louisiana state law and are not subject to the provisions of the Gun-Free School Zones Act. As we’ve previously reported, this bill seems designed to finally put an end to attempts by the city of New Orleans to carve out the French Quarter from the state’s permitless carry law by declaring a police substation in the tourist-friendly neighborhood an educational facility by hosting one or two vo-tech classes.  

HB 393, meanwhile, clarifies existing state law regarding carrying at or near parades or demonstrations. While those participating in these events are still prohibited from lawfully carrying a firearm, bystanders and spectators are free to exercise their Second Amendment rights. 

Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry is expected to embrace all of these pro-Second Amendment reforms, but Louisiana gun owners should still reach out to his office and encourage him to sign the bills into law. While they’re at it, it wouldn’t be a bad idea to contact the lawmakers who backed these measures to thank them for their efforts. 

Congratulations to the Louisiana Shooting Association are also in order. President Dan Zelenka, the board, and individual members have done an outstanding job of bolstering the right to keep and bear arms in the Pelican State, for both residents and non-residents alike. This session shows the power that grassroots organizations can have, and the state’s gun laws will hopefully soon be even better than they already are.