Louisiana House Passes Bill That Allows Certain Guns in Alcohol-Based Establishments

A Louisiana bill that would allow off-duty law enforcement officers and concealed handgun permit holders to carry guns while in certain alcoholic beverage establishments passed  in the Louisiana House of Representatives Wednesday by a final count of 79-19.

The purpose of House Bill No. 72 is:

“To amend and reenact R.S. 14:95.5(C), relative to the possession of a firearm on the premises of an alcoholic beverage outlet; to exempt certain law enforcement officers from the prohibition; to exempt concealed permit holders from the prohibition as it  relates to restaurants; to provide relative to the authority of sheriffs or chief law enforcement officers to establish policies in this regard; and to provide for related matters.”

The original version of the bill only allowed for law enforcement officers to carry when “acting in the performance of his official duties.”

Present law defines an alcoholic beverage establishment as the following:

Any commercial establishment in which alcoholic beverages of either high or low alcoholic content are sold in individual servings for consumption on the premises, whether or not such sales are a primary or incidental purpose of the business of the establishment

According to the passed bill, that provision of the law would also now include any “alcoholic beverage outlet which has been issued a Class A-Restaurant permit.”

The bill is now headed to the Louisiana Senate committee, according to nola.com. Keep Reading