Louisiana bills seeking to place restrictions on where people can carry guns receive pushback

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — As Louisiana prepares for a new law to go into effect that allows those 18 and older to carry a concealed handgun without a permit, a Republican-controlled committee pushed back Wednesday against bills seeking to restrict where people can carry guns.

Among the Democratic-authored legislation was a measure rejected along party lines that would have added child day care centers, early learning centers, developmental centers and nursing homes to the list of firearm-free zone. Places currently on the list include schools, churches, courthouses, police stations and the State Capitol.

Opponents of the bill argue that the measure threatens their Second Amendment right and that gun-free zones don’t stop criminals from committing violence.

“This is going to do nothing but restrict law-abiding citizens’ ability to defend themselves,” said Kelby Seanor, director of the National Rifle Association’s Louisiana chapter.

Supporters of the measure say it is a logical extension of other zones, such as schools, and would help police get illegal guns off the street.

“What I’m hearing today is this hysteria of, ‘Oh, they are coming for our guns.’ Nothing in this legislation implies or suggests that,” Democratic Rep. Alonzo Knox said during the House committee hearing.

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