Contact the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee in Support of Constitutional Carry!

With less than a week remaining in the legislative session, Constitutional Carry bill HB131, authored by Rep. Danny McCormick, was passed out of the Senate Judiciary B committee and has been referred to a second Senate committee, the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee.

This past Tuesday, HB131 was moved favorably out of committee by a bipartisan vote of 4-1. Unfortunately, the bill was amended over the objections of GOA and the bill author, raising the age an individual can permitlessly carry a concealed weapon from 18 years and older to 21 years and older. 

As amended, HB131 would restore the ability of law-abiding gun owners, 21 years and older, to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Louisiana without a permit, subject to the carry restrictions identified in subsections (M) and (N) of the concealed handgun permit statute La. R.S. 40:1379.3, and those restrictions on the open carry of firearms.

You may be wondering why HB131 is now sitting in a second Senate committee instead of being voted on by the full Senate?

Under the Senate rules, any bill passed favorably out of committee that is likely to raise or reduce taxes or fees by $500,000 or more, must immediately be referred by the Senate President to the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee. And because HB131 meets the requirements of this rule, it sits in Revenue and Fiscal Affairs, waiting to be taken up for a vote.

Now, with less with seven days left in the session, if Constitutional Carry is going to make it to the governor’s desk before 6:00 p.m. on June 8 (the end of session), it is critical that the Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee pass HB131 as soon as possible!

That does not leave much time, but if there is a silver lining to this additional delay, it is that the members of the Revenue and Fiscal Affairs committee have the opportunity to amend HB131 back to the version that passed the House, lowering the age of permitless carry back down to 18 years and older.

That is why I ask that you please Take Action and contact the committee IMMEDIATELY!

Below is a template you can use to email the committee chairman.

To: Senate Revenue and Fiscal Affairs Committee, Email: sr&f@legis.la.gov

Dear Mr. Chairman, 

As a citizen of Louisiana and a supporter of Gun Owners of America, I am writing to you today in SUPPORT of Constitutional Carry bill HB131 as originally passed by the Louisiana House, and to urge you and the committee members to support the bill as well. 

The right to keep and bear arms is a God-given, fundamental right enumerated in both the United States Constitution and the Louisiana Constitution. Thus, it is unacceptable that law-abiding citizens, such as myself, are forced to ask permission of the government to exercise our right to defend ourselves, families, and communities.

That is why I, and a considerable majority of the people in Louisiana, support Constitutional Carry! This support was recognized and confirmed by the peoples’ representatives in the House when HB131 was overwhelmingly passed with a bipartisan, veto proof margin of 71 to 29.

The version of HB131 passed by the House restored the ability of law-abiding gun owners, 18 years and older, to carry a concealed weapon in the state of Louisiana without a permit, subject to specific carry restrictions. Unfortunately, the Senate Judiciary B Committee amended HB131 to deny the restoration of this fundamental right to individuals 18 to 20 years of age, raising the age of permitless carry to 21 years and older. 

Now, Constitutional Carry bill HB131 has been referred to this committee, and with less than a week remaining in this legislative session it is imperative that this bill be amended to return the age of  permitless carry to 18 years and older, and passed to the Senate floor as soon as possible!

So I ask that you, and the committee members, please support and defend my God-given rights, and the rights of all law-abiding individuals, by:

(1) SCHEDULING Constitutional Carry bill HB131 for a hearing immediately;

(2) AMENDING Constitutional Carry bill HB131 back to the version that passed the Louisiana House; and

(3) PASSING Constitutional Carry bill HB131 favorably out of this committee.

Gun Owners of America will monitor this bill and keep me informed.  

Thank you. 

[insert your name]

Once you have emailed, please follow up with a call to the committee, 225-342-6181.