By Caleigh Montoya, Staff Writer
On February 28th, 2024 a bill was passed that allows Louisiana residents, 18 and older, to carry a concealed handgun without a permit. It is the first bill of its kind that applies to people this young. This bill will allow people to carry guns under their clothing without a government-issued permit, having to be fingerprinted, or completing a firearm training class. Law enforcement and government officials say that this bill is needed for citizens to be able to protect themselves at all times against criminals.
Louisiana State Rep. Mike Johnson said, “People are getting raped, murdered, carjacked, and assaulted. A vote for this bill today gives the citizens of Louisiana the right to defend themselves.”
Although some may feel that this bill is providing safety, some would say that this bill is just making guns more accessible and will cause crime to increase.
Residents of Louisiana understand the intentions of this bill but say that there should still be certain requirements to getting a gun. One of these requirements is an older age.
Louisiana already has one of the highest rates of gun violence, so why should we allow for guns to be even more accessible? Personally, I see both sides of this argument. I understand wanting to protect yourself but I also see how this bill may pose more danger than good. For this bill to be safe and effective, I think that we should make the age requirement higher and that we should still have some sort of education about guns and gun violence. Without education, how are we ever supposed to change our high rates of gun violence?