La. House Committee Advances Bill That Would Allow Guns In Restaurants With Alcohol

Metairie Representative Joe Lopinto's legislation that would allow off-duty law enforcement officers and concealed handgun permit holders to bring a gun inside a restaurant that serves alcohol is now headed to the La. House for debate.

According to our news partners at Louisiana Radio Network, the La. House Criminal Justice Committee approved the bill by a vote of 9-4. "Although I may have numerous guns at home, they don't do any good for me when I'm out in the street or I'm at a restaurant and I actually need it," says Rep. Lopinto.

But New Iberia Representative Terry Landry disagrees. He voted against it because of the dangerous combination that alcohol can have with some people. "You have people that alcohol and a gun makes them a bigger person than when they don't have those," say Rep. Landry.

Shreveport Representative Barbara Norton agrees with Rep. Landry and proposed this question to Rep. Lopinto: "We get upset or we get a drink of alcohol, and they decide to go to the next level, you don't have any concerns about a massacre that may happen at this particular place?"

But Rep. Lopinto believes that concealed carry permit holders should be able to protect themselves in those kinds of situations. "Could you have an isolated incident? Obviously, you always can. But the reality of it is that I'd rather that person that has that to be able to prevent that massacre from somebody else who is not a law abiding citizen."