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New Louisiana Law Gives Churches Option To Permit Concealed Carry of Handguns

By Howard M. Friedman

ABP reports that on July 6 Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal signed into law HB 1272 which repeals the total ban on carrying concealed handguns in churches and other houses of worship. Instead the new law which will take effect next month permits congregations to authorize those who hold valid concealed carry permits to bring their weapons into the church, synagogue or mosque. However the congregation must mandate an additional 8 hours of tactical training for anyone who will bring in a concealed handgun. The new law also provides that if the congregation authorizes concealed carry, the pastor, priest, minister or other authority must inform the congregation. This provision presumably has two interesting effects. First it requires that everyone in the congregation know that others may be armed. Second, because the law provides that the decision to permit concealed carry is to be made by the "entity which ... has authority over the administration of a church, synagogue or mosque," the law presumably requires that when a congregational board of trustees approves, a dissenting clergyman may not refuse to publicize the action.

Full post as published by Religion Clause on July 09, 2010 (boomark / email).