BATON ROUGE -- The House approved and sent to Gov. Bobby Jindal late Thursday a revived bill that would allow people qualified to carry concealed weapons to tote them to their house of worship.
Lawmakers voted 64-26 for House Bill 1272 by Rep. Henry Burns, R-Haughton, that would give church, mosque or synagogue leaders the authority to allow the practice as part of a volunteer security force. Burns said his bill is voluntary and not mandatory.
His original House Bill 68 was killed in a Senate committee two weeks ago, but he got the Senate to reinstate it as an amendment to House Bill 1272 that also allows a concealed weapons permit to be renewed every five years instead of every four.
Jindal can veto the bill, sign it into law or let it become law without acting on it. If it becomes law, it will go into effect Aug. 15.
Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, tried to derail the bill and asked that a vote be delayed, but the House voted that down 63-19.
"Unstrap your guns when you go to church," she said. "It is about the business of the Lord, not about the business of guns."
Burns said the revamped bill mirrored his original bill the House passed several weeks ago 74-18.
If the weapons are allowed, he said, the leaders of the congregations would have to tell worshippers of the plan verbally or through a newsletter or bulletin.
Burns' bill prohibits carrying concealed weapons into religious institutions located on school grounds and also requires those who are allowed to carry the weapons to receive at least eight hours a year in tactical training besides being qualified to have a concealed weapons permit and pass background checks.
"They can carry guns into churches now, but they have to be on their sides" and visible, not concealed, Burns said.
Norton said passage of the bill could lead to gang leaders entering a church and opening fire on innocent worshippers.
Posted By: Siebra Muhammad
Friday, June 18th 2010 at 5:33PM
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