Louisiana Confusion: Concealed Firearm Carry at Parades

Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - As of July 4, 2024, any person who can legally possess a firearm will be allowed to carry it concealed without a permit in the state of Louisiana. Governor Jeff Landry signed Senate Bill 1 into law in March that made the Bayou State the 28th to allow what's referred to as Constitutional Carry.

The bills passage sparked concern among some members of law enforcement who, although they support 2nd Amendment rights, worry about education in regard to the responsibility of people who choose to exercise their right. As with any legislation, the devil is in the details, and the details are confusing.

Senate Bill 132 made its way through the Legislative chambers and is headed to Governor Landry's desk. The measure lengthens the mandatory sentence for two specific violations:

Illegal carrying of a firearm at a parade with any firearm used in the 10 commission of a crime of violence... [and] Reckless discharge of a firearm at a parade or demonstration.

Rather than one year, a person convicted of violating the law will spend at least three years in prison without the benefit of parole, probation, or suspension of sentence.

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The confusion begins with the question: Who can carry a firearm within 1,000 feet of a parade?

Caleb Morse with The Rustic Renegade in Lafayette has an in-depth understanding of laws as they relate to firearms. During his recent visit to Acadiana's Morning News on 96.5 KPEL, he explained that the answer depends on the circumstance.

PARADE PARTICIPANTS

Anyone who is a member of the organizing body of a parade and anyone who is riding a float or participating is prohibited from carrying a firearm during the event, open or concealed. The procession is considered a "gun free zone."

CONCEALED CARRY PERMIT HOLDERS

A person who has completed the steps necessary to obtain a concealed carry permit in the state of Louisiana can carry their firearm with them as observers of the parade. Police officers are also allowed to carry firearms, of course.

CONSTITUTIONAL CARRY (A person who carries a firearm but does not have a permit.)

While every person who can legally do so is allowed to carry a firearm in the state of Louisiana, open or concealed, the law does outline where that person can and cannot do so without a permit.

Morse explained that, without a permit or exemption, no one can possess a firearm within 1,000 feet of a parade route during the event.

CLARIFICATION

The law does not prohibit anyone who is legally allowed to do so from having a firearm on their private property. The law states:

The possession of a firearm occurring within one thousand feet of a public gathering entirely within a private residence or in accordance with a concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.1 and 1379.3.

Clear as mud? Morse's advice is to find a class that outlines the intricacies of Constitutional Carry so you operate within the law and are doing so safely.