Constitutional Carry Bill Filed in Louisiana

Last week, I reported on how South Carolina was shaping up to be the next state that passed a Constitutional Carry law. What I couldn’t have known was that while I was writing the article, a Louisiana senator was filing a bill that would enact a similar law in the Pelican State. Now, it’s a race against time to see which state will be the next to approve Constitutional Carry: South Carolina or Louisiana.

The Bill

Senate Bill 1, filed by state Senator Blake Miguez, would allow anyone over the age of 18 to carry a concealed weapon without a permit in Louisiana. Miguez filed the bill on February 8th. Louisiana’s senate will vote on the bill during a special legislative session on February 18.

Currently, anyone who wants to carry a concealed handgun in Louisiana needs to obtain a permit from the state. Louisiana residents must take a class with a state-approved instructor, pass a shooting test, and pass a written exam to get their permit. Permits were valid for five years, at which point an applicant has to re-qualify. In addition, applicants under 65 had to pay $125 for a five-year permit or $500 for a lifetime permit.

The bill has been backed by the NRA, which is still managing to do some good even as it flounders through what may be some of its last days.

Final Thoughts

Every state that borders Louisiana already has a Constitutional Carry law in place. If Louisiana passes this law, a person could drive the length of the Gulf Coast of the US and legally carry a concealed weapon without a permit the entire time.

This bill seems like a shoe-in. Louisiana has a Republican majority in both its Senate and House of Representatives, so the bill should have no trouble making its way to the governor’s desk.

Once there, newly-elected Republican Governor Jeff Landry will need to sign the bill into law. Landry said that he supported Constitutional Carry when he was on the campaign trail last year. The state’s previous governor, John Bel Edwards, was a Democrat who supported red flag laws and expanded background checks.

If Louisiana can fast-track this bill, it may be able to become the 28th Constitutional Carry state before South Carolina has the chance to do so. Regardless, it’s looking like we’ll have at least two states joining the ranks of Constitutional Carry jurisdictions here in 2024.