TexasCHLforum.com

I will be traveling to Lousy-ana this weekend to visit my relatives. (I normally make them come here.)
What do I need to know about carrying my weapon(s) on my body/purse in the state of Louisiana? I want to stay within the law there, as I understand some of their LEOs like to give out-of-staters extra-special attention, and it's the type I'm hoping to avoid.

If we get pulled over and I'm NOT driving, do I need to declare my weapon or show my CHL (if/if not asked)?

Can my weapon accompany me into restaurants that serve alcohol and stores that sell it by the case? (I ask b/c some states do not allow a gun near the liquor cabinet.)

Anything in particular I should know? (I tried packing.org but cannot access it.)

Here is a link to the State Police:

http://www.lsp.org/handguns.html

I think many of your questions might be answered there. It does look like Church is still prohibited for them. Take care.

Jason

Thank you.
I printed out the pages to take with me.

I am surprised to see that the casinos are on the prohibited list, spefically called out that is. Or do they fall under alchohol prohibitions?

LM23 wrote:I am surprised to see that the casinos are on the prohibited list, spefically called out that is. Or do they fall under alchohol prohibitions?

I believe that is what keeps them out. You don't need a CHL to car carry in Louisiana,

Give these guys a look see at too...

http://www.handgunlaw.us/

http://www.handgunlaw.us/documents/USOffLimitsA-M.pdf

Go to page 21 of 28 of this .pdf file and Louisiana should pop up...

Just another piece of the pie to compare...

Have a great trip Venus!

Just remember, it doesn't have to be illegal for a cop to give you a hard time about it, especially in our closest 3rd-world state.

Stevie,
Thanks for the additional link.
T3, the "giving a hard time" part is my concern. I've had trouble with Louisiana's finest before.

ETA: What about signs on businesses? In TX, only the 30.06 and 51% signs affect us. Are the ghostbuster and "no guns allowed" signs legally binding in LA to CHL holders?

Sorry that this post is too late for your trip, but I had been hearing things about carry in Louisiana establishments that serve alcohol and I finally got around to looking through the Louisiana statutes.

The list of where CHL holders cannot carry is here (section N is the relevant portion).

The pertinent section for places that serve alcohol is RS 40:1379.3 N(10):

N. No concealed handgun may be carried into and no concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to this Section shall authorize or entitle a permittee to carry a concealed handgun in any of the following:

(10) Any portion of the permitted area of an establishment that has been granted a Class A-General retail permit, as defined in Part II of Chapter 1 or Part II of Chapter 2 of Title 26 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes of 1950, to sell alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises.

So the question becomes what a Class A-General permit is. This is defined in RS 26:71.1 (1). It appears that a Class A-General permit is only issued to bars, and cannot be issued to anywhere that can have minors on the premises.

Restaurants are issued a different kind of permit (Class A-Restaurant), as are places that sell alcohol for off-premises consumption (Class C). Neither of these types of establishments are mentioned as off-limits for carry.

A note about Louisiana and "No one under 21 permitted" signs: they don't always mean the place is Class-A General. The Louisiana smoking ban doesn't apply in places where minors aren't allowed, so some places ban minors in order to allow smoking. Same with video poker.

It's unfortunate that they don't have the same clear signage Texas requires. But on the other hand, you can carry right on in to Fair Park field and watch the Shreveport Sports engage in a "professional sporting event". :)

I'm back. It was uneventful.