A bill to allow Louisianans to carry a concealed weapon without a permit hits a big snag on its course to final passage. The House-passed HB37 recently won approval in a Senate judiciary committee, but – instead of being scheduled for a Senate floor debate & vote – was re-committed to the Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee last week. Political analyst Bernie Pinsonat says when this happens, it means someone wants to see the bill fail.
“All those things considered, if it was put back in Revenue & Fiscal, it means the Senate has decided not to let it reach the Senate floor so that it can pass and be sent to the Governor.”
The Senate Revenue & Fiscal Affairs Committee will consider the bill this afternoon. Even if it passes, it has very little time left to be scheduled for floor debate, voted upon and sent back to the House for concurrence before the clock runs out on the session Monday evening. Pinsonat says this has happened before, when lawmakers didn’t feel a bill was “must pass” legislation.
“Normally when this is done, it means they’re trying to kill the bill. This bill didn’t do as well last year with the Governor’s veto…where transgender (athletes ban) came within a couple votes of overriding the Governor’s veto, this bill…didn’t do as well.”
Oil City Representative Danny McCormick’s bill would make Concealed Carry Permits optional for adults with no criminal record. However, without a permit one would have no right to concealed carry in other states with whom Louisiana has reciprocity agreements. Pinsonat says lawmakers have their reasons for trying to let the clock run out on the legislation; some perhaps due to recent events in Texas.
“Why, I don’t know…but Uvalde comes to mind. The Governor’s veto…there’s not enough time left in the session to override the Governor’s veto while IN session.”
Pinsonat feels there is little will at the Capitol to override a veto of this particular bill, so letting it die is the likely strategy.
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