Changes To Louisiana Constitution Will Rewrite Gun Laws If Passed

A senate committee met yesterday and decided to approve a change to the constitution dealing with gun laws in Louisiana.

The law currently holds a few different limitations, but if these changes get the 2/3rds vote from the legislation and the vote of the public on November 6th, things will changes pretty drastically.

The changes would nullify most gun restrictions in the state, basically opening up the opportunity to bring legally owned weapons into schools, bars and churches. The bill's sponsor Senator Neil Riser, of Columbia, along with a backing of the National Rifle Association, says that the bill is an attempt to ensure that the state has strong protections for gun owners if federal courts overturn current U.S. constitutional provisions.

Some opponents of the bill say that this takes away the ability to ban guns from these gun-free zones and that the people responsible for these zones shouldn't have to give up that right, but Riser says that this isn't the case. He says that in these zones, if there is compelling state interest in banning the weapons, then they can be prohibited or regulated.

KPEL will keep you updated on the progress of these changes as they make their way through the legislature.