Louisiana Senate Committee to Determine Fate of Constitutional Carry Bill
If you look at this map, you will see Louisiana sticks out when it comes to gun rights.
Every border state and most states in the South allow their citizens to conceal carry without having to go through training to get a permit.
According to usconcealedcarry.com, "Louisiana is a shall-issue state (and) concealed weapons permits are processed at the state level by the Department of Public Safety." An adult can own a gun without a permit but not conceal carry a gun without a permit.
Oil City Representative Danny McCormick believes adult non-felons shouldn't need a permit or training to be able to conceal carry a gun, otherwise known as constitutional carry.
“Constitutional carry means no required training," pointed out McCormick to Louisiana Radio Network. "That’s the definition of constitutional carry so that’s the reason for my objection,” said McCormick.
McCormick's legislation last year was vetoed by Governor John Bel Edwards, who cited a lack of training as something he couldn't approve. Edwards' veto came after the bill passed the state House and Senate. He says he would veto the bill again if it makes its way through the Legislature.
This year, the bill is rolling through the legislative process as it has already passed the House by a 64-27 vote.
By the way, 70 yea votes in the House AND 26 yea votes in the Senate are what's required to override a governor's veto - a supermajority. Edwards can veto a bill that meets that threshold and essentially force lawmakers to vote again. But, if Edwards vetoes a bill that does not obtain supermajority in BOTH chambers, then the bill is dead.
McCormick faces that probability with this bill, regardless of what majority it may get in the Senate if if passes the Senate Judiciary Committee C on Tuesday.
"This is a very popular bill in Louisiana,” says McCormick in this LRN article, “Every state that touches Louisiana has this. Louisiana is the only one in this area that doesn’t have it."
26 states have constitutional carry. Could Louisiana be the 27th if McCormick's bill continues to garner legislative support? Lawmakers may have to override a goveror's veto despite what seems like overwhelming support for it.
