A bill that allows adults 18 years or older to carry a concealed handgun without permits or training was passed out of committee Tuesday. To get to the governor's desk, it still has to pass both houses. If it does, the governor is expected to sign the bill judging from his remarks opening the special session on Monday, February 19.
Veteran and owner of Rustic Renegade, Caleb Morse, supported the bill. He said although training wouldn't be required, Morse believed more gun owners may take the initiative to do it anyway, "When you look at the other states who have passed constitutional carry, training has actually gone up. Individuals go out, purchase a firearm, start to carry conceal and then they realize that there's more to do this than what I've done. We're hoping to see that in Louisiana." He said he does have some concerns. Morse said he hopes the public will educate themselves on where they can and can't carry a concealed weapon, especially here in Louisiana, "A business owner can say you know what, today, we're firearm free so what you're going to run across, I believe in the beginning, is more criminal trespassing which is the thing you would be charged with if you're carrying a firearm where you couldn't and then you're going to see more people carrying a firearm where you couldn't and then you're going to see more people carrying firearms that didn't know was illegal to carry on a federal level," said Morse.
St. Landry Parish Sheriff, Deputy Chief Eddie Thibodeaux is a firearms instructor and feared the same, "All the state is trying to do is say you don't have to pay a fee to the state, you don't have to have a card, but you still have to follow all the state and federal laws and even the city if someone has a sign that says no guns allowed, you can not go into that store." Thibodeaux said the proposed bill is still in the early stages, but he hoped to see some changes made, "Personally, I believe in my Second Amendment right, but we have to have a license to drive a car. We have to have training and listen, if they don't want to have a license, okay, but you still need to get some training," said Thibodeaux.
Governor urged the GOP-led legislature on Monday to pass what he describes as his tough-on-crime policies and assured lawmakers he would sign the bills into law.
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