Prefiled bills all focus on guns

Legislators Monday filed the first three bills for the legislative session that opens April 8 and they all deal with guns.

The prefiled bills would:

• Create the crime of unlawful storage of a firearm. The legislation by state Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, would require people to keep or store a firearms secure in a locked container or equipped with a tamper resistant safety device. A first offense violation would prompt a fine of up to $300.
• Prohibit federal restrictions regarding ownership or possession of semi-automatic firearms. The bill by state Rep. Jim Morris, R-Oil City, is dubbed the “Louisiana Preservation of Individual Gun Rights of Citizens Act.”
• Exempt law enforcement officers from the crime of carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon on school property. The bill is by state Rep. John Schroder, R-Covington, who is spearheading a group looking at ways to improve school security.

Also Monday, a north Louisiana legislator launched “Defend Louisiana” — a statewide campaign to defend the gun rights of Louisiana residents and promised more legislation in defense of Second Amendment rights to bear arms.

The activity comes in the wake of a elementary school shooting in Connecticut which left 20 students and six adults dead and renewed gun control efforts by President Barack Obama.

Among the federal initiatives are a ban on assault weapons and creation of a better national data base to ensure that felons and the mentally ill cannot purchase guns.

State Rep. Jeff Thompson, R-Bossier City, plans a statewide tour and petition drive in the weeks leading up to the start of the legislative session, according to a news release announcing the initiative.

“We’ve done some good things to protect the Second Amendment in Louisiana, but we’re not finished yet,” Thompson said in the release.

Comments

1) Comment by Springer98 - 29/01/2013

I guess Ms. Norton would be okay with a Gestapo being appointed to each parish, to enforce this rediculous law!!

2) Comment by Chucky - 29/01/2013

DMJ -Having a gun 'ready' and not using it, well that is what we want, not having to use 'it', yet being able to when and if needed. Carried a gun for 23 years .drew it several times never 'used it ' but on the range, by the grace of the Goddess and St. Michael.

3) Comment by phil - 29/01/2013

Please read my first comment. People should always keep guns in a safe secure place away from children, but to add a law will once again set a precedent to limit individual rights in their own homes. Young children can also get into poisonous chemicals inside the home and can die from eating those chemicals. Do we really want to pass a law that states all chemicals/cleaners have to be stored inside a special locked box in every home? What about refrigeration? If I leave out food too long, a child could eat it and die from food poisoning. Do we need the food police checking to make sure all of our food is being handled properly? Do you want the "code police" knocking on your door and demanding to get inside to inspect your home and then fine you if they find something a little wrong? Just remember there has been discussion of a local agency possibly getting more funds via code violation fines. I think we all have to be careful about passing new laws that open the door for a police state.

4) Comment by DMJ - 29/01/2013

So we're against keeping your guns locked up when you're not using them as well?? Jesus Christ. If I didn't know any better, I'd say some folks want more gun deaths to justify to themselves having a gun to feel safe.

5) Comment by Buck - 29/01/2013

Gee, I can see it now, the "Stupid" party in Louisiana could in the upcoming fiscal session propose a tax exception for quick access storage lock boxes. Fiscal note would be interesting in comparison to the other exception the State gives to corporate entities. Suggest Lil Bob run this by his friends at ALEC. Surely when the petition is circulated, it will include this concept for consideration.

6) Comment by mh1949 - 29/01/2013

Whatchange I am glad you are comfortable with the 5 second wait providing there is no malfunction with your smart lock box. As with anything mechanical there is always the possibility of a malfunction.How can you be sure it will read your fingerprint correctly ? Awhile back I had to be fingerprinted for a security position. This was done by a very experienced law officer. Guess what ? I had to go back and have it redone because of an error. And by the way how hard is it to keep a gun out of the reach of a 9 month old ? I think we may be on the somewhat same page concerning gun ownership but you may not mind someone telling you what you can and cannot do with yours while I do mind.

7) Comment by Chucky - 29/01/2013

Will this go for hunting cabins and homes in the swamp ? What about in your car/truck/van ? Will poor people be able to get tax $ to buy said safety system? i just have a lot of ?'s

8) Comment by Chucky - 29/01/2013

Whatchange- I agree if you have children the lock box is a good investment i just do not want the Gov. telling me i have to do it. I do get tired of picking up my guns when friends with children visit some are to young to understand when i say "the knives are sharp and the guns are loaded"

9) Comment by Whatchange - 29/01/2013

Concerned_Parent; common sense tells you not to jump off a bridge, but it happens. People who exercise common sense have no need to worry about the law, its the ones who don't.

10) Comment by Whatchange - 29/01/2013

@mh1949; OK, can't believe you don't know how the touch lock box works, the one I have has five different fingerprint setting, meaning five different people in my home can set it to open when they place their hand in the appropriate area, it does not mean that just anybody can open it. It sits on a stand next to my bed and can be opened in under 5 seconds, way fast enough to get if I hear someone breaking into my home. All my sons where taught gun safety, they were all taught to use common sense when handling a gun, shooting a gun, finding a gun, but in no way can you teach a 9 month common sense much less gun safety. Things happened, there is nothing wrong with preventive measures, kids don't always use common sense. Again, a lock box can be opened in less than 5 seconds, how long does it take you to get out of bed and go to the area where you keep you gun that you say is out of harms way. Sorry but your argument doesn't hold water.

11) Comment by markedwardmarchiafava - 29/01/2013

LOL, yea, I can see why DMJ would consider the 2nd one "purely symbolic," as his opposition to real freedom is quite obvious.

12) Comment by Concerned_Parent - 29/01/2013

@Whatchange...."common sense told me to lock it up"...You are 100% correct. Commone sense told you to do something, not some unenforceable law. I do not need a law to tell me what to do within my own home. The ultimate law to follow is "thow shall not kill". Whether it be with a gun or a butter knife. People make that decision. Just recently there were a group of guys going around ripping ATM machines out of stores with a strap attached to a car. There is a law against doing so, but that did not stop them. Common sense tells me not to go around doing that. Common sense tells me to teach my children how to properly and safely handle a weapon. When and when not to use it. What and what not to shoot at. How far are you willing to let the government go?

13) Comment by DMJ - 29/01/2013

1 and 3 sound reasonable. The 2nd one is purely symbolic.

14) Comment by phil - 29/01/2013

I think the problem with the unlawful storage law is you just cannot legislate personal responsibility. People should keep their guns in a safe and secure place, but exactly how that is done might depend on whether there are children in the house and other factors. A law like unlawful storage seems like it could only be enforced after something like an actual shooting happens. Unless the police will search each home for guns, then this law will probably not be able to be enforced. Do you want someone searching your home on a regular basis? Perhaps there just needs to be a law that states that people need to act responsibly and take responsibility for their own actions.

15) Comment by mh1949 - 29/01/2013

Obamacratic Rep.Norton had to throw in some sort of control legislation. What good is a firearm for defense if you have to keep it locked up? Let me try to understand this. 2 o'clock in the morning I am suddenly awakened by the sound of someone in my home approaching my bedroom. Suddenly my door opens and there stands someone I do not know and that has lawful right to be in my home. Now what am I supposed to do ? Should I offer him a glass of milk and cookies to eat while I unlock my safe and retrieve my weapon ? Of course I would have plenty of time to get it while he's raping my wife. Good common sense (???) bill Norton. Whatchange what purpose would a lock box that can be opened by just a touch accomplish ? Just as I was my children,grandchildren, and now great grandchildren have all been taught what a gun is and what it can do. They have been taught to never touch one if found anywhere and to tell an adult. I have never left one readily accessible to them and never would. Don't make laws to try to make me keep mine locked up and becoming useless to me when needed .

16) Comment by nimby? - 29/01/2013

"Create the crime of unlawful storage of a firearm. The legislation by state Rep. Barbara Norton, D-Shreveport, would require people to keep or store a firearms secure in a locked container or equipped with a tamper resistant safety device. A first offense violation would prompt a fine of up to $300." , I can live with this . perhaps when enacted Brave could do a door to door sweep of 70805 , see how well it works ...

17) Comment by hog611 - 29/01/2013

The Gun free zones need to be removed !!! Anyone that can legally carry a firearm concealed should be allowed to do so. Anyone under 21 cannot obtain a concealed carry permit so the students would not have guns in grade school. It might save someone's life.

18) Comment by Whatchange - 29/01/2013

Y'all do realize there are lock boxes that open just by placing your hand on them. At some point when the public starts to lose common sense, "IE"., keeping guns away from kids, the government will step in. In just one week right here in BR and the surrounding areas three kids have died from playing with guns that were not locked up. I'm a gun owner, I hunt, I own plenty of rifles, shot guns, a few pistols, crossbow, compound bows, long bows, I believe in the 2nd Amendment, I also believe in common sense. I see nothing wrong with Ms. Norton's Bill. I watch my granddaughter as she crawls through our home, she is into everything, she climbs everything, she touches everything, plays with everything, whatever she gets her hands on she has to put it in her mouth, turn it all sort of ways, throw it, pick it up, turn it some more, taste it some more, I would sure hate it to be my pistol I use to keep by my bed, common sense told me to lock it up, not reading a lot of common sense here. Heck we had to put up a gate to the upstairs. I know ever person commenting on here would put up a gate to their upstairs when their kid started crawling, common sense tells you to do that, shouldn't the same common sense tell you to lock up a gun with kids in the house.

19) Comment by Whatnow - 29/01/2013

I am free to keep MY gun anywhere I want for the protection of MY family in MY home. Typical liberal illogical thought by Norton. The government needs to stay out of MY house, too.

20) Comment by Chucky - 29/01/2013

When a single or married law-enforcement officer with out children comes home what does he/she do with the 'bat belt' ? hang on the rack, chair, or closet, or close to your sleeping.

21) Comment by Bwaites985 - 29/01/2013

Just tell the criminals that break into your house to wait just one moment while you get your gun out of its locked location. I'm sure they will do what you ask.

22) Comment by Whatnow - 29/01/2013

Mark, we all know why you hate cops, but they have the right to carry arms just as much as you do.

23) Comment by Scrooge - 29/01/2013

Meanwhile, there is the pesky annoyance of running a state

24) Comment by markedwardmarchiafava - 29/01/2013

Barbara Norton wants to micro-manage your life and John Schroder wants to grant special rights for The Anointed Ones.

25) Comment by Chucky - 29/01/2013

unlawful storage of a firearm ? Would like to know, does that include single house hold or couple with out children ? Sleep with holstered gun on bed post, No children in house. I can see someone coming over seeing that, later call police, them getting a search warrant and I am out $300. Storage and accessibility important issue.