HLS 16RS-102 ORIGINAL
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 4
BY REPRESENTATIVE IVEY
WEAPONS/FIREARMS: (Constitutional Amendment) Provides that the right to keep and
bear arms includes the right to carry a concealed handgun without a permit or license
1 A JOINT RESOLUTION
2Proposing to amend Article I, Section 11 of the Constitution of Louisiana, to provide that
3 the right to keep and bear arms includes the right to carry a concealed handgun
4 without a permit or license; to provide for applicability; to provide for submission
5 of the proposed amendment to the electors; and to provide for related matters.
6 Section 1. Be it resolved by the Legislature of Louisiana, two-thirds of the members
7elected to each house concurring, that there shall be submitted to the electors of the state of
8Louisiana, for their approval or rejection in the manner provided by law, a proposal to
9amend Article I, Section 11 of the Constitution of Louisiana, to read as follows:
10 §11. Right to Keep and Bear Arms
11 Section 11. The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms is fundamental
12 and shall not be infringed. Any restriction on this right shall be subject to strict
13 scrutiny. The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms includes the right to
14 possess a concealed handgun without the necessity of obtaining a permit or license,
15 unless the person is prohibited from possessing a firearm under the laws of Louisiana
16 or the laws of the United States.
17 Section 2. Be it further resolved that this proposed amendment shall be submitted
18to the electors of the state of Louisiana at the statewide election to be held on November 8,
192016.
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions. HLS 16RS-102 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 4
1 Section 3. Be it further resolved that on the official ballot to be used at the election,
2there shall be printed a proposition, upon which the electors of the state shall be permitted
3to vote YES or NO, to amend the Constitution of Louisiana, which proposition shall read as
4follows:
5 Do you support an amendment to provide that the right to keep and bear arms
6 includes the right to carry a concealed handgun without the necessity of
7 obtaining a permit or license, unless the person is prohibited from possessing
8 a firearm under the laws of Louisiana or the laws of the United States?
9 (Amends Article I, Section 11)
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 4 Original 2016 Regular Session Ivey
Abstract: Provides that the La. Constitution allows citizens to carry a concealed handgun
without a permit or license unless otherwise prohibited by law.
Present constitution provides that the right of each citizen to keep and bear arms is
fundamental and shall not be infringed. Present constitution further provides that any
restriction of this right shall be subject to a standard of strict scrutiny by a court in
determining its constitutionality.
Proposed constitutional amendment retains these provisions of the present constitution and
further provides that the right to keep and bear arms includes the right to possess a concealed
handgun without any form of permit or license, unless the person is prohibited from
possessing a firearm under the laws of La. or the laws of the U.S.
Provides for submission of the proposed amendment to the voters at the statewide election
to be held November 8, 2016.
(Amends Const. Art. I, §11)
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.