The Senate kills an effort to override the Governor’s veto of legislation that would remove the need to get a permit to carry a concealed firearm for those 21 and older. That came after four Senators backed away from their previous support of the bill in the regular session resulting in the override effort falling three votes short.
Three of the four Senators to change their mind were Republicans. One of those was Natchitoches Senator Louie Bernard who told colleagues after some reflection away from Baton Rouge and conversations with local law enforcement leaders he just couldn’t keep his support.
“When I left here after the session I had an opportunity to think about this bill and to visit with all of the law enforcement people I could visit with, I had not done that when we had voted on this during the session,” said Bernard who stated his support for the right to concealed carry, but not constitutional carry. “If you’re going to ask me should you have that great freedom without any responsibility of some semblance, some modicum of training, I just can’t agree with that.”
Republican Baton Rouge Senator Franklin Foil also changed his mind on the bill, and so did Marrero Senator Patrick Connick. Connick said he flipped after speaking with local law enforcement, but once he did he got inundated with hateful messages after a national outlet ran a fake story that he had sold his vote.
Connick choked up while reading one of the texts he received.
“F- you and your ugly ass baby, constitutional carry is what matters,” said Connick who added the text included a picture of his wife and grandkids.
Norco’s Gary Smith was the lone Democratic Senator to vote in favor of the bill during the regular session. Smith said he’s a strong supporter of the 2nd Amendment but he changed his mind after thinking about his own experience as an avid gun collector.
“I’ve been carrying a concealed handgun permit since 1996 and I can tell you over that time the training and education I’ve received through those classes has been invaluable,” said Smith.
Bill author and West Monroe Senator Jay Morris implored colleagues to maintain their regular session votes to no avail. He said constitutional carry is a right guaranteed by the 2nd Amendment, and common sense given you don’t need a permit to open carry in Louisiana.
“A woman leaving the mall can put a pistol on her hip, but if she slips it in her purse she is breaking the law unless she asks the government first,” said Morris.
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