Louisiana governor John Bel Edwards (D.) has vetoed a bill that would allow state residents to carry concealed handguns without a permit.
Under the new bill, all residents age 21 or older would be allowed to carry a concealed gun without a permit provided that a resident is not prohibited from obtaining a handgun under any other state or federal law. Edwards, however, said he believes current law allows for “reasonable” permit practices.
“I am a strong supporter of the Second Amendment, and an enthusiastic outdoorsman and hunter. But I simply cannot support carrying a concealed-carry firearm without proper education and safety training – and I believe the majority of Louisianans agree with me,” Edwards said in a statement on Friday following the veto.
“Simply put, it is not too much to ask that a person who wishes to carry a concealed weapon in public be required to attend basic marksmanship and safety training so they understand the regulations associated with such an action,” Edwards added.
State Senator Jay Morris, the Republican sponsor of the bill, indicated that he hoped the Louisiana legislature would override Edwards’s veto.
“This bill is for law-abiding and freedom-loving citizens,” Morris told USA Today Network. “The people of Louisiana want it and hopefully we will join our neighbors, like Texas and Mississippi, and pass constitutional carry with or without the Governor’s signature.”
Mississippi has allowed permitless carry since 2016, while Texas governor Greg Abbott signed a law last week allowing permitless carry in his state.
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As much as I support concealed carry, I do believe gun training as well as training about state gun laws should be a requirement before being allowed to carry concealed.
As much as I support firearms training, I do not support making it a requirement for firearms purchases OR bearing arms in public. Both are constitutionally suspect (requiring government permission to exercise a constitutional right). Further, a government hostile to liberty (not a far-fetched scenario) could/would easily manipulate such requirements to effectively void a fundamental individual right.
The criminals are already carrying without a permit. Why are law abiding citizens not able to?
What do you expect from a democrat? Elections have consequences…
No problem if La is a shall issue state and recognizes all other states permits. The sheriffs enjoy the revenue and seeing their sheepdogs occasionally.