LEGISLATIVE NEWS AND REPORTS

Act 4 of the First Extraordinary Session of the 1996 Louisiana Legislature amended and re-enacted R.S. 40:1379.3 providing for the issuance of statewide concealed handgun permits by the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Public Safety & Corrections (DPS). The permit grants statewide authority to a citizen to carry a concealed handgun on his person. A handgun is defined as "a type of firearm commonly referred to as a pistol or revolver originally designed to be fired by the use of a single hand and which is designed to fire or is capable of firing fixed cartridge ammunition." It does not include "shotguns or rifles that have been altered by having their stocks or barrels cut or shortened."

2022

The passage of Act 680 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session (Effective August 1, 2022) enacted LRS 14:95(M) to provide certain exemptions for the concealed carrying of firearms. Under LRS 14:95(M), the intentional concealment of any firearm shall not apply to a resident of Louisiana if ALL of the following conditions are met:

1. The person is twenty-one years of age or older,
2. The person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm under R.S. 14:95.1, R.S. 40:1379.3(C)(5) through (17), 18 U.S.C. 922(g), or any other state or federal law,
3. The person is a reserve or active-duty member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces; a member of the Louisiana National Guard or the Louisiana Air National Guard; or a former member of any branch of the United States Armed Forces, the Louisiana National Guard, or the Louisiana Air National Guard who has been honorably discharged from service.

At all times that a person is in possession of a concealed handgun pursuant to R.S. 40:1379.3(B)(2), that person shall have on his person proof that he meets the qualifications of Subparagraph (a) of this Paragraph demonstrated by ONE of the following:

1. A valid military identification card,
2. A valid driver's license issued by the state of Louisiana displaying the word "Veteran" pursuant to R.S. 32:412(K),
3. A valid special identification card issued by the state of Louisiana displaying the word "Veteran" pursuant to R.S. 40:1321(K).
4. For a member released from service who does not qualify to have the word "Veteran" displayed on a state-issued driver's license or special identification card, a Department of Defense Form 214 (DD-214) indicating the character of service as "Honorable" or "Under Honorable Conditions (General)" and a valid driver's license or special identification card issued by the state of Louisiana.

No person carrying a weapon pursuant to R.S. 14:95(M) may carry and conceal such handgun while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled, dangerous substance. A person carrying a weapon pursuant to R.S. 14:95(M) shall notify any police officer who approaches the permittee in an official manner or with an identified official purpose that he has a weapon on his person, submit to a pat down, and allow the officer to temporarily disarm him.

Annual Legislative Statistical Reports

Pursuant to L.R.S. 40:1379.3(R)(2), these summary reports cover the period for each respective calendar year to include statistical information on the number of permits issued, denied, revoked, or suspended and the reasons for such denial, revocation, or suspension to be categorized by age, sex, race, and zip code. The number of concealed handgun permits issued, denied, suspended, or revoked during these periods and the reasons for such are categorized by age, race, sex, parish, and zip code.

• 2018 Annual Legislative Report
• 2019 Annual Legislative Report
• 2020 Annual Legislative Report
• 2021 Annual Legislative Report
• 2022 Annual Legislative Report
• 2023 Annual Legislative Report