BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) - A St. Mary Parish senator wants to let state lawmakers carry concealed weapons at the Louisiana Capitol when they’re at work.
The bill by Sen. Bret Allain, R-Franklin, started moving Tuesday. It received the backing of the Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee with a 5-3 vote that broke along party lines, with Republicans supporting the proposal and Democrats opposed.
“This is for personal protection,” Allain said.
Currently, the Capitol is a gun-free zone except for the state troopers who provide security inside. Public entrances warn that “dangerous weapons” are prohibited, and people who enter the building without badges must pass through metal detectors.
Allain said he’s seeking to extend to lawmakers the same rights to carry concealed weapons in public buildings that are extended to judges and district attorneys in Louisiana.
To be armed, the lawmakers would need to have a state handgun permit and to take an annual training course given to law enforcement. The bill also would apply to officers of the House and Senate as well.
Sen. J.P. Morrell, D-New Orleans, said he was wary of the proposal and voted against it.
“I know the debate on the floor gets very heated,” he said. He added of his colleagues, “A lot of them are great marksmen, great hunters. A lot of them are not. I’ve got some concerns with your bill.”
The measure heads next to the full Senate for debate.
Voting for the bill were Sens. Mike Walsworth, R-West Monroe; Jonathan Perry, R-Kaplan; Neil Riser, R-Columbia; Bob Kostelka, R-Monroe; and Jody Amedee, R-Gonzales, committee chairman.
Voting against the measure were Morrell and Sens. Ed Murray, D-New Orleans; and Greg Tarver, D-Shreveport.
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Online:
Senate Bill 651 can be found at www.legis.la.gov
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