Louisiana House passes bill to end permit requirement for concealed carry

awmakers in the House voted this week to pass a bill that could eliminate the required permit to carry a concealed firearm in Louisiana.

House members voted 64-27 to approve House Bill 37, sponsored by Rep. Danny McCormick, R-Oil City, to allow anyone over age 21 who is currently eligible to openly carry a firearm to also carry a firearm concealed without a permit, commonly known as constitutional carry.

“Louisiana is already an open carry state which allows law-abiding citizens to carry their firearm without a mandatory training,” McCormick said during debate on the bill Wednesday. “Allowing those same law-abiding men and women to wear a jacket in cold weather or place their firearm in a purse while wearing a dress is not going to cause chaos.

“This bill would not allow anyone to carry a concealed weapon unless they are already able to legally open carry,” he said.

Rep. Charles Owen, R-Rosepine, offered a failed amendment to reduce the age for constitutional carry to 18, the initial age included in the bill.

“When you’re 18-years-old you can be charged with a felony. When you’re 18-years-old, you can vote,” he said. “I believe in equal treatment under the law.”

Several lawmakers objected to lowering the age, pointing out the issue was discussed in the House Committee on the Administration of Criminal Justice, where members voted 8-5 to increase the age to 21… (Excerpt from Just the News)