The House Criminal Justice Committee advanced a bill by an 8-1 vote that would expand gun rights to allow adults 18 and older to conceal carry a handgun without a permit or training. Oil City Republican Representative Danny McCormick says the Second Amendment gives law-abiding citizens the right to do so.
“As you know in Louisiana, we are an “open carry” state. If you’re 18 years or older and are not a criminal you’re able to open carry. This bill mimics that bill so you’ll be able to “conceal carry” at that same age.”
The “constitutional carry” bill is based on the position that the U.S. Constitution allows a firearm to be carried without a permit. The legislation would also bypass background check requirements to carry a concealed weapon in Louisiana. Louisiana Association of Chiefs of Police Fabian Blache believes this will escalate the already existing problem of illegal gun violence.
“Police have enough problems with the concerns of illegal carry, this just adds additional fear for our law enforcement officers’ safety.”
Louisiana is an “open carry” state which means adults 18 and older can carry a firearm if it is visible to the public with no permit or training. LA Municipal Association Karen White raised concern that the aftermath of such a bill if approved is already proven.
“John Hopkins did some research, they found that when permitless concealed carry was enacted assaults went up on an average of 9.5 percent and gun homicides went up 34.9 percent.”
25 states have enacted similar concealed carry expansion laws, including Arkansas, Texas, and Mississippi. McCormick says he doesn’t object to training but the type of training.
“We do believe in training. I don’t think anybody in this room agrees you shouldn’t have training. The question is should you have government-mandated training or not? I don’t think that’s near the training you need to be able to carry.”
Lawmakers passed a concealed carry bill in 2021 that was nearly identical to McCormick’s legislation, but Gov. John Bel Edwards vetoed the measure.
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