Permitless Concealed Carry Takes Effect in Louisiana

Louisiana becomes the 29th state to allow permitless carry of a concealed weapon. The new gun law took effect on Thursday [July 4]. That means anyone in Louisiana who is at least 18-years-old and does not have a felony conviction is now allowed to carry a concealed gun without a permit.
The author of the new law is New Iberia Senator Blake Miguez. In a report by the Louisiana Radio Network, Miguel explained, “It’s their Second Amendment right to defend themselves and their loved ones, especially with the crime rates as high as they are in the nation, as well as Louisiana, against violent criminals.”

But Miguel also cautions that all the same restrictions, obligations, and responsibilities for a permit to carry will apply under constitutional carry. “So all those same restricted places and you know, carrying under the influence of alcohol is restricted to a certain level of 0.5 blood alcohol content and greater, as well as the duty to inform officers on an official stop.” Eliminating the required conceal carry permit means a person’s fingerprints do not need to be taken, or completion a firearm training course.
On February 28, lawmakers gave final approval to House Bill No. 12 a day before the end of the special session on crime. Six days later, on March 5, Governor Jeff Landry signed the measure into law.

Critics of the legislation cautioned that researchers at the Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Violence Solutions at the Bloomberg School of Public Health discovered that rates of violent gun assaults increased 32% in 11 states that removed the required conceal carry permit.
This legislation comes after former Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards (D-LA) vetoed a similar bill in 2021. Another permitless conceal carry bill was considered during the regular legislative session in spring 2023.