Despite the fact that Louisiana is a permitless carry state, lawful concealed carry is generally prohibited at the state capitol building in Baton Rouge. There are some carveouts in place for a host of public officials and employees, however; including the governor, attorney general, judges, state legislators, members of Louisiana’s congressional delegation, and even parish presidents.
The list could grow even longer if Louisiana state Sen. Rick Edmonds gets his way. Edmonds has filed SB 277, and if adopted many other government workers could soon lawfully carry while in the state capitol complex.
… the Baton Rouge Republican and Southern Baptist pastor’s Senate Bill 277 drastically increases that list to any “designated assistants” of the governor, secretary of state, state treasurer, commissioner of agriculture and forestry and commissioner of insurance.
In theory, the entire staff of any or all these officials could become “designated assistants” — meaning potentially hundreds of people carrying concealed guns in the capitol building.
It is unclear why other departmental staff — like Attorney General Liz Murrill’s — were left off the list. Current law appears to only allow Murrill and her security detail to carry concealed weapons in the capitol building.
In order to lawfully carry in the state capitol building, those exempted officials and staffers are required to complete annual firearms training, which is not required for those exercising their right to carry in most of the state.
Even with that requirement in place, I take issue with allowing some folks to carry in the statehouse, while maintaining a general prohibition on the practice. If this is about being able to protect yourself while at work, why shouldn’t everyone who works at the capitol be afforded the same opportunity? For that matter, why shouldn’t visitors who can lawfully carry outside the capitol complex be able to carry inside as well?
When Virginia Democrats tried to give lawmakers an exemption to one of their gun control bills on the final day of the session last Saturday, they were rightfully called out by Republican legislators and many Second Amendment advocates, and the language was ultimately stripped from the bill before passage. It’s bad when Democrats try to exempt themselves from the laws the rest of us have to follow, and it’s no better when Republicans do the same.
The only reason SB 277 might be worth supporting is because some folks can already lawfully bear arms based on their position in government. That won’t change if SB 277 dies in committee, but if the bill passes then it will be a tiny step in the right direction by expanding the number of people who don’t have to give up their 2A rights when they set foot inside the state capitol building. Political progress is often incremental, and Edmonds’ legislation is an incremental improvement to the existing law, albeit an incredibly small one.
I’m hoping there’ll be an attempt to amend SB 277 in committee and allow for all lawful gun owners in Louisiana to carry at the statehouse. As written, the bill doesn’t really benefit anyone other than a relatively small group of government workers and public officials, and I think lawmakers can do far better that the current policy and the changes proposed in SB 277.
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