RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 414 (SB 402) 2018 Regular Session Riser
Prior law, providing for concealed handgun permits, specified that (1) no concealed handgun
may be carried into and (2) no concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to prior 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 prior law. New law
retains prior law.
Prior law exception provided 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. Prior law
required the pastor, priest, minister, or other church authority to inform the congregation of
the authorization. Specified that prior 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.
Prior law further provided that prior 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.
New law retains prior law and clarifies that the armed security guards may be employed or
designated, and paid, not paid, or volunteer, so long as the security guards are either certified
law enforcement officers or authorized to carry concealed handguns.
Prior law provided 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. Prior law
required the training to be conducted annually.
New law retains prior 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.
Effective August 1, 2018.
(Amends R.S. 40:1379.3(U)(2) and (5))