Louisiana lawmakers advance permitless concealed carry gun bill

Louisiana State Capital Building in Baton Rouge, LA. (Photo by CrackerClips Stock Media / Alamy)

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana is getting closer to letting people carry hidden guns without needing to get a special paper first. This idea got more support from Republican lawmakers during a special meeting about stopping violent crime. They also liked another idea about a law. This law says if you use a hidden gun to protect yourself and shoot someone, you won’t get in big trouble.

The Senate said yes to both ideas, and now they’re going to the House. There, the Republicans have a lot of control. The governor of Louisiana, Jeff Landry, has said he’ll agree to these ideas if they come to him. People who really support gun rights call the idea about carrying hidden guns without needing a paper a “constitutional carry bill.” They say the rules we have now don’t fit with the constitution.

Right now, to carry a hidden gun, you need to get your fingerprints taken and pay money. GOP state Sen. Blake Miguez, who came up with the idea, said, “The Second Amendment lets us have arms and protect our families. We shouldn’t have to ask the government for permission to protect what’s ours.” Miguez and other Republicans say bad guys don’t follow gun rules anyway. They think people who follow the law should carry hidden guns without needing a special paper to protect themselves.

But Democrats worry this could lead to more gun violence and make it less safe for everyone. During their meeting, lawmakers are talking about many ideas to be tougher on crime. These include more ways to carry out death penalties, tougher punishments for some crimes, making it harder or impossible for some people to get out of jail early, and treating 17-year-olds as adults in court if they’re accused of serious crimes.

Twenty-seven states around Louisiana let people carry a hidden weapon without needing a special paper, says the U.S. Concealed Carry Association. People against the idea worry because Louisiana has a lot of gun violence already. In 2021, it had the second-highest number of gun deaths in the country, with 1,314 people dying, including both suicides and murders.

“This could be one of the most dangerous ideas to come out of here,” said Democratic Sen. Royce Duplessis. He mentioned a letter from the Louisiana police group that doesn’t like the idea. The letter said having permits helps keep track of hidden guns and without it, more guns could end up with people who shouldn’t have them.

Also, police officers are worried this new rule could make their jobs more dangerous. Police groups that have said what they think about the idea are either okay with it or don’t like it. Louisiana almost had a similar law in 2021, but the governor at the time, who was a Democrat, didn’t agree to it. At the beginning of this special meeting, Landry told lawmakers he would agree to it this time. Miguez’s idea would start on July 4.