Gov. Edwards Signs Bills Expanding Gun Rights

Louisiana Governor John Bel Edwards signed a pair of bills into law Tuesday, measures that 2nd Amendment advocates say protect - and even expand - the the rights of gun owners across the state.

The legislation, now law, was recently described by Gun Talk radio show host Tom Gresham as "gun rights reform."

"We are correcting some things in Louisiana law," Gresham said, adding that backers of the bill deserve congratulations.

Here is a summary of the legislation signed into law by the Governor on Monday:

House Bill 140, sponsored by Rep. Blake Miguez, prevents local authorities and municipalities from imposing restrictions to prohibit the possession of a firearm.  Preemption legislation is designed to stop municipalities from creating a patchwork of different laws that turn a law-abiding citizen into a criminal for simply crossing a jurisdictional line.

House Bill 334, sponsored by Reps. Bryan Fontenot, Blake Miguez and Charles Owen, authorizes a concealed handgun permit holder to carry a concealed handgun in a church, synagogue, mosque, or other similar place of worship, with permission from church leadership.

Two other pieces of gun related legislation, one that would allow those who lawfully possess a firearm to carry concealed for self-defense during a mandatory evacuation under a declared state of emergency or disaster and the other, to establish firearms and ammunition manufacturers, distributors, wholesalers, suppliers, and retailers are “essential businesses” are still on the Governor's desk and under review.