BATON ROUGE, La. — A proposal to let New Orleans adopt a set of gun control measures than are stronger than the state currently allows was overwhelmingly rejected Tuesday by a House panel.
The Criminal Justice Committee voted 9-1 against the measure by New Orleans Democratic state Rep. Mandie Landry, despite calls for passage from a city council member, a deputy chief of the police department and District Attorney Jason Williams.
Among the specified laws the city would have been allowed to pass were the bill to become law: a requirement that loss or theft of firearms be reported to police, prohibition against openly carrying firearms at public events requiring government permits, and prohibition on carrying firearms where alcohol is being served.
Backers of the bill said it would help fight increasing violent crime by helping prevent gun trafficking or the use of guns at large events where alcohol is consumed — in a city known for its large public festivals, sporting events and Bourbon Street nightlife.
“At the end of the day, we’re asking this committee and the Legislature to allow New Orleans to carve out legislation that affects the unique problems that we have,” said City Council member Eugene Green.
Gun control advocates said the laws the city sought to pass would be ineffective. They slammed the bill as an attack on Second Amendment rights. Rep. Bryan Fontenot, a Republican from Thibodaux, said it could prohibit law-abiding gun owners from protecting themselves in the city.
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