Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Louisiana Set to Pass Landmark Pro-Gun Constitution Changes


The Louisiana House is backing a plan to rewrite the state constitutional protections in such a way that would give Louisiana the strongest pro-gun protection laws in the country. The objective of the plan is to protect the Second Amendment from judges who might want to tamper with Louisiana gun laws.

Sen. Neil Riser received backing from the NRA as he pushed the bill through the House, earning a 77-22 vote. A supporter of the bill, Rep. Jay Morris, stated, "The right to bear arms is something that's fundamental. We just need to make sure it stays that way."

So, what would the bill do, exactly? Right now the Louisiana Constitution reads, "The right of each citizen to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed, but this provision shall not prevent the passage of laws to prohibit the carrying of weapons concealed on the person." Basically, this bill would take an eraser to everything after the word "infringed."

Opponents of the bill fear that it would give grounds to question every single existing gun law in the state. Rep. Patricia Smith is concerned that Louisiana will become a newer version of "the wild, wild West." Opponents also aren't sure why the bill is even necessary. They argue that there have been no threats against gun rights, so rewriting the Constitution now is simply unnecessary.

The bill will still need to undergo some minor revisions and receive the backing of voters in the Nov. 6 statewide election before it could be enacted.

SOURCE: Guns.com

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