A Louisiana senate committee today advanced a bill to place tighter restrictions on people carrying concealed guns in the French Quarter.
New Orleans City Council President Helena Moreno testified before the committee that the French Quarter is significantly different from other parts of Louisiana, and even the most responsible gun owner could find themselves in a tough situation if they felt compelled to shoot.
"And because these areas are so incredibly crowded, when you fire a shot to try to hit one person, you're likely going to hit many more," she said.
River Ridge Republican Kirk Talbot's bill was written to keep the requirement for a state-issued permit in place for the French Quarter when the state's permitless carry law takes effect this summer. But sensing opposition to that plan, Talbot significantly re-wrote the bill.
It would now require people carrying a concealed weapon in the French Quarter to disclose that to law enforcement when interacting with cops.
It would also increase penalties for people carrying concealed weapons in the Quarter while drunk or high on drugs.
New Orleans Police Chief Ann Kirkpatrick told lawmakers that they cannot claim to be pro-law enforcement and then make it harder for the cops to do their job.
"If you are pro-law enforcement, you do not take tools away from the police," she said. "You give them tools."