BOGALUSA, La. — At gun training courses across the state, the aim is safety and education.
“We try to hammer home training as much as we can,” said Devvin Burgess at Jefferson Gun Outlet in Metairie.
That training and the permit both required to conceal carry in Louisiana could soon no longer be needed. That’s if the state legislature overrides a veto from the governor on a constitutional carry bill.
“If we have the right to carry it openly without training, then we should have the right to carry it concealed without training because it’s the same firearm. It’s the same person,” said State Representative Larry Frieman.
Representative Frieman says he’s optimistic there will be a veto override session. Part of his district includes part of Washington Parish, where Monday, Sheriff Randy Seal became one of the first law enforcement leaders to publicly support constitutional carry.
“He felt it was extremely important for his constituents and his people in Washington Parish to have constitutional carry,” said Rep. Frieman.
Seal’s stance is echoed by the sheriffs of LaSalle and Bossier parishes, but breaks with other sheriffs and police chiefs, who publicly opposed the bill last week, asking the legislature not to override the governor’s veto. Some Louisiana mayors are also joining the opposition, including the mayors of New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Westwego and Shreveport.
“I believe it would be a great step backward,” said Lafourche Parish Sheriff Craig Webre.
Sheriff Webre says the conceal carry permitting process and training are essential to safety.
“The readily available access to concealed weapons not only is going to endanger the law enforcement community, it will endanger the general public as well,” said Webre.
Frieman, who supports voluntary training, says current law already prevents criminals from legally buying a gun and that constitutional carry would only apply to law-abiding citizens.
“This has nothing to do with the criminals and law-abiding citizens aren’t robbing people, they aren’t carjacking, they aren’t killing people. They’re just trying to protect themselves and their family,” said Webre.
What that protection requires remains the target of debate, until lawmakers pull the trigger on whether to override the veto. The deadline for lawmakers to vote on an override session is Friday.