Action is Needed on Four Pro-Gun Bills Set for Hearing May 13, 2020

After being recessed for 49 days due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Louisiana Legislature is back in session and set to hear the following pro-gun bills  Wednesday, May 13, at 1:00 pm, in front of the House Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice:

House Bill No. 140, by Rep. Blake Miguez (R) Dist. 49, strengthens Louisiana’s firearm preemption law by prohibiting any governing authority of a political subdivision (local government) from enacting any ordinance or regulation that is more restrictive than state law concerning the possession of a weapon or firearm in certain commercial establishments and public buildings.

House Bill No. 334, by Rep. Bryan Fontenot (R) Dist. 55, authorizes a concealed handgun permit holder to carry a concealed handgun in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other similar place of worship without being subject to the present limitation on a permit holder’s authority to carry in such places.

House Bill No.  746, by Rep. Ray Garofalo (R) Dist. 103, creates an exception to the illegal carrying of weapons by allowing any person who can lawfully possess a firearm to carry a concealed firearm during a mandatory evacuation in a declared state of emergency or disaster.

House Bill No. 781, by Rep. Blake Miguez (R) Dist. 49, removes the authority of executive and chief law enforcement officers to regulate the manufacture, sale, and possession of firearms or ammunition during a declared emergency or disaster, or public health emergency. (See my prior alert on HB 781 here.)

Two of the bills, HB746 and HB781, were specifically drafted in response to infringements upon the rights of law-abiding gun owners that came to light, and have been magnified, during the current state of emergency. As such, it is important that we as gun owners take action now and let the committee members know that the right to protect ourselves and our families, especially during times of emergency, “shall not be infringed.”

If you plan on attending the hearing, you can view directions to the state capitol here. Additionally, please note that due to the COVID-19 declared emergency, special guidelines for visitors to the capital have been posted.

If you are unable attend the hearing you can submit a prepared statement in favor of the above pro-gun bills to [email protected]. (Note that statements must be received prior to 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 12, 2020, to be included in the record for the committee meeting.)

I encourage all those who do not wish to draft their own statement to use the action email attached to this alert as a template.

Again, please take action and urge the members of the House Administration of Criminal Justice Committee to support House Bill 140, House Bill 334, House Bill 746, and House Bill 781.