Jeremy Alford
Capitol Correspondent
DailyComet.com
BATON ROUGE — State Rep. Ernest Wooton, the former sheriff of Plaquemines Parish whose district once included portions of lower Lafourche, will again be pushing concealed weapons as a policy issue in this year’s session.
But it won’t be in the same form that garnered the Belle Chasse Republican headlines around the state in 2008 and 2009 when he steered a controversial and unsuccessful bill that would have allowed concealed handguns on college campuses.
So far, it appears that Wooton is shelving that push, which was opposed by several colleges including Nicholls State University.
In its place, Wooton has filed another bill that could help Louisiana shore up “reciprocity agreements” with other states and maybe even land a few new ones. Reciprocity agreements mean states agree to accept one another’s policies.
In the case of House Bill 9 by Wooton, that means concealed weapons.
Wooton’s bill would allow reciprocity between Louisiana and another state when a concealed-handgun permit is issued to someone at least 21 years old — the age requirement that currently exists in Louisiana.
Several state legislatures around the country are considering similar bills this year to ensure consistent concealed-weapons policies.
In theory, without Wooton’s proposed change, there’s a chance that Louisiana might lose its reciprocity status with other states.
Wooton, chairman of the House Criminal Justice Committee, is also the author of House Bill 16,
which adds to the types of certifications required to be a concealed-weapons instructor.
Present law requires instructors to be certified by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training as a firearms instructor or by the National Rifle Association as an instructor for civilians and law enforcement.
Wooton’s bill requires that instructors certified by the National Rifle Association also be certified as an instructor in “basic pistol shooting, personal protection in the home or personal protection outside the home.”
Both concealed-handgun bills are expected to be debated during the spring regular session, which convenes March 29.
To view Wooton’s bills, go to www.legis.state.la.us.
Capitol Correspondent Jeremy Alford can be reached at
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