SLS 18RS-594 ORIGINAL
2018 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 402
BY SENATOR RISER
WEAPONS. Clarifies that both volunteer and paid security guards may serve churches or
houses of worship and provides for tactical training requirements for certain concealed
handgun permittees. (8/1/18)
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 40:1379.3(U)(2) and (5), relative to concealed handguns; to
3 provide relative to concealed handguns carried by authorized persons in houses of
4 worship; to provide for certain tactical training; to provide for requirements for
5 certain religious organizations to allow concealed handguns to be carried in places
6 of worship pursuant to valid handgun permits; and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 40:1379.3(U)(2) and (5) are hereby amended and reenacted to read
9 as follows:
10 ยง1379.3. Statewide permits for concealed handguns; application procedures;
11 definitions
12 * * *
13 U. * * *
14 (2) The provisions of this Subsection shall not be construed to limit or
15 prohibit any church, synagogue, or mosque from employing or designating as
16 armed security guards who are either persons certified law enforcement officers or
17 who are authorized to carry concealed handguns pursuant to the provisions of this
Page 1 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 402
SLS 18RS-594 ORIGINAL
1 Section, regardless of whether such designation of employment is compensated.
2 * * *
3 (5) Any church, synagogue, or mosque authorizing the carrying of concealed
4 handguns pursuant to the provisions of this Subsection shall require an additional
5 eight hour hours of tactical training for those persons wishing to carry concealed
6 handguns in the church, synagogue, or mosque if required by the entity which has
7 authority over the religious organization pursuant to Paragraph (1) of this
8 Subsection or by the owner of the building's liability insurance policy. The
9 training shall be conducted annually.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Carla S. Roberts.
DIGEST
SB 402 Original 2018 Regular Session Riser
Present law, providing for concealed handgun permits, specifies that no concealed handgun
may be carried into and no concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to present law shall
authorize or entitle a permittee to carry a concealed handgun in any church, synagogue,
mosque, or other similar place of worship, except as provided for in present law.
Proposed law retains present law.
Present law exception provides for the carrying of a concealed handgun in any church,
synagogue, mosque, or other similar place of worship, if the entity which owns or has
authority over the church, synagogue, or mosque has authorized any person issued a valid
concealed handgun permit to carry a concealed handgun in such place of worship. Present
law requires the pastor, priest, minister, or other church authority to inform the congregation
of the authorization. Specifies that present law will not be construed to authorize the
carrying of a concealed handgun in a church, synagogue, or mosque located on the property
of any school or school property.
Present law further provides that present law will not be construed to limit or prohibit any
church, synagogue, mosque, or other similar place of worship from employing armed
security guards who are certified law enforcement officers or who are authorized to carry
concealed handguns.
Proposed law retains present law and clarifies that the armed security guards may be
employed or designated, paid or a volunteer, so long as the security guards are either
certified law enforcement officers authorized to carry concealed handguns.
Present law provides that any church, synagogue, or mosque authorizing the carrying of
concealed handguns will require an additional eight-hour tactical training class for those
persons wishing to carry concealed handguns in the church, synagogue, or mosque. Present
law requires the training to be conducted annually.
Proposed law retains present law but provides that the eight-hour tactical training class is
required only if the entity which has authority over the religious organization or the owner
of the building's liability insurance policy requires the additional training.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 402
SLS 18RS-594 ORIGINAL
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Amends R.S. 40:1379.3(U)(2) and (5))
Page 3 of 3
Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.