Provides relative to the illegal carrying of weapons. (8/1/25)
Summary
SB 101 revises Louisiana’s laws on illegal carrying of weapons, with a focus on school-related firearm restrictions and concealed-carry exceptions. The bill amends definitions in the criminal code for “school,” “campus,” and “school bus,” and updates the exceptions to the offenses involving carrying firearms or dangerous weapons on school property, within firearm-free zones, and near school campuses.
A major substantive change is that the bill broadens the circumstances under which certain adults may carry a handgun without the usual prohibition in R.S. 14:95(A)(1)(a). The enrolled text provides that the prohibition does not apply to a Louisiana resident who is at least 18 years old and not otherwise prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law. The bill also updates related school-zone exceptions to recognize persons carrying under that provision, including those with concealed handgun permits or reciprocity permits, when within 1,000 feet of a school campus. It also retains and clarifies the exclusion for privately owned vocational-technical schools from the definition of “school.”
Impact
SB 101 amends several provisions in Title 14 governing weapons offenses, including R.S. 14:95, 14:95.2, and 14:95.6. Its practical effect is to expand lawful handgun carrying for eligible adults and to adjust how school-campus and firearm-free-zone restrictions apply, while leaving intact prohibitions for persons barred from firearm possession under other state or federal law. The bill affects law enforcement, gun owners, school safety enforcement, and prosecutors by narrowing some illegal-carry scenarios and updating statutory definitions and exceptions.
Sentiment
The bill appears to have been generally favorable among legislators, as reflected by passage in both chambers with clear majorities. It passed the Senate 28-11 and later received 72-23 and 73-23 votes in the House, followed by a 31-8 Senate concurrence vote. Those margins suggest substantial support, though not unanimity, consistent with a controversial firearms measure that nonetheless advanced successfully through the legislative process.
Contention
The main point of contention is the expansion of carry rights, especially the lowering of the age threshold to 18 for certain lawful carriers and the interaction of that change with school-zone restrictions. Supporters likely viewed the bill as clarifying and broadening lawful possession for eligible adults, while opponents likely focused on public safety concerns, particularly around schools, school buses, and firearm-free zones. The bill’s treatment of concealed carry near school campuses and its revised definitions also appear to be central issues, since they directly affect where firearms may be carried and under what conditions.