BATON ROUGE, La. (WVUE) – A slate of crime-related bills moving through the legislature includes three companion bills which, if enacted, would legalize the permitless carrying of concealed weapons in Louisiana.

House Bill 12 by Rep. Danny McCormick (R-Oil City) is joined by Senate Bills 1 and 2 by New Iberia Republican Blake Miguez during Gov. Jeff Landry’s special session on crime and public safety.

The legislation by McCormick and Miguez seeks to allow anyone 18 or older and never convicted of a felony to carry a concealed weapon without going through any permitting or training processes.

McCormick said he has repeatedly submitted the bill over the past several years – it was withdrawn last year – but this session is different.

“You know, we have more legislators in the House that are conservative, and we have a conservative governor in the Governor’s Mansion. That’s the difference,” McCormick said. “We live in a constitutional republic, and in a republic, the rights and responsibilities belong to the individuals. Until they commit a crime, the government has no right taking those constitutional rights away from them.”

While McCormick’s bill was opposed by former Gov. John Bel Edwards, Landry’s administration is joined by a much more conservative legislature in backing it.

“There is no way that it will not pass,” said Rep. Patrick Connick (R-Marrero). “It all depends on what form it will pass. So that’s coming down and we’re going to be joining the other states around us that allow concealed carry without a permit.”

However, the legislation has not come without scrutiny. Opponents such as Rep. Mandie Landry (D-New Orleans) said the legislation stems from nationwide culture war issues and would only serve to place law enforcement officers in harm’s way while allowing greater proliferation of guns in the community.

“It doesn’t seem like many people like it, except for the NRA and the bill sponsors,” Mandie Landry said. “Law enforcement hates it, prosecutors hate it, and even in the city, there’s a couple of conservative news radio (hosts) who have been talking it through for a couple weeks now. And none of their listeners like it.

“If you don’t know how to use (a gun) and if you’re running around with it illegally, law enforcement needs to know that.”

Miguez’s bills moved through to the full Senate floor on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, there is concern from some in the law enforcement community about the impact this could have on officers and deputies in the field.

“We’ve seen, in 2023, violent crime went down as law enforcement began to use the proactive strategy of firearms enforcement,” said Metropolitan Crime Commission president Rafael Goyeneche.

Goyeneche said he believes New Orleans’ declining violent crime rate is directly correlated to more gun arrests being made under current concealed carry laws.

He said during the first two weeks of February, 137 arrests were made, of which 48 became felony arrests (illegal concealed carrying of a weapon is a misdemeanor). He said 143 guns were taken off the streets through those apprehensions.

“We know that violent crime, usually guns are involved in it. We know that if the police wait for 911 to be called, that means somebody used the gun,” Goyeneche said. “This is a tool that will be removed, which means that the police department is going to have to wait for people carrying a weapon to use that weapon before they can engage.”

The Louisiana Fraternal Order of Police also has opposed the legislation, with President Darrell Basco writing to lawmakers on Monday:

“Permitless concealed carry undermines the safety of both law enforcement officers and the general public. By eliminating the requirement for individuals to obtain a permit, we are effectively removing a crucial layer of accountability and screening that helps prevent firearms from falling into the wrong hands. Permitting processes ensure that individuals seeking to carry concealed firearms undergo background checks, receive training, and demonstrate a basic understanding of firearm safety laws. Removing these safeguards increases the likelihood of firearms ending up in the possession of individuals who may pose a danger to themselves or others.

“Moreover, permitless concealed carry creates significant challenges for law enforcement officers in the field. Without the ability to quickly and easily verify whether an individual is carrying a firearm legally, officers are placed in potentially volatile situations where they must make split-second decisions with limited information. This not only heightens the risk of confrontations escalating into violence but also increases the likelihood of tragic misunderstandings that could result in a critical use of force issue.

“Furthermore, permitless concealed carry undermines the ability of law enforcement agencies to effectively enforce existing firearm laws and regulations. Without a clear mechanism for tracking and regulating the carrying of concealed firearms, it becomes increasingly difficult for officers to identify and address illegal firearms activities. This hampers our efforts to combat gun-related crime and ensure public safety.”

Rep. Mandie Landry said the legislation has helped her find a rare point of agreement with the FOP.

“I don’t think I’ve ever agreed with them on something,” she said. “So that tells you a lot with how dangerous this is, when law enforcement groups throughout the state are heavily against it.”

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