Explore The NRA Universe Of Websites

APPEARS IN Legal & Legislation

Louisiana: Lafayette Tries an End-Around Constitutional Carry

Friday, August 23, 2024

Louisiana: Lafayette Tries an End-Around Constitutional Carry

This week, anti-gun elected officials continue to liberally interpret state law to infringe on your Second Amendment rights, this time in an attempt to curtail the Right-to-Carry in Downtown Lafayette, Louisiana. The University of Louisiana at Lafayette declared that the Science Museum in Downtown Lafayette and contracted private hotels used for student housing are “school property” to create more firearm-free zones across the Lafayette Parish. If these firearm-free zones were enforced, practically all of Downtown Lafayette would be off-limits to the recently enacted constitutional carry law. This attempt will only frustrate the ability to carry in the popular downtown area for law-abiding citizens.

On August 21, Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Monique Boulet announced the Lafayette Police Department will enforce a 1,000-foot firearm-free school zone around the University of Louisiana Lafayette Science Museum. Mayor Boulet has deferred to the university’s declaration that the museum is part of its campus and, thus, a firearm-free zone. The university operates the museum, but the City of Lafayette owns the building.

Unfortunately, this is now the second effort by anti-gun officials to attempt an end-around constitutional carry. As we previously reported, New Orleans officials tried to create a firearm-free school zone in the French Quarter in July.

Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill wasn’t amused by New Orleans or Lafayette’s attempted end-run of state law. Below is an excerpt from an August 13 statement that Murrill issued regarding the Lafayette situation,

The law on Gun-Free School Zones is narrow. The Lafayette Science Museum downtown does not fall under it.

However, it seems Lafayette Parish Mayor-President Boulet intends to disregard the Attorney General’s statement and thwart the will of the state legislature by enacting firearm restrictions that the legislature has repeatedly rejected. This is important because Louisiana has a strong state firearm preemption statute prohibiting political subdivisions from enacting their own carry restrictions.

Senator Blake Miguez, author of this year’s constitutional carry and enhanced preemption legislation, has publicly pressured and pushed back against this potential civil rights infringement in Lafayette. On August 22, Senator Miguez sent a letter to Attorney General Liz Murrill asking for an official Attorney General opinion on the definition of “school property” in LA RS 14:95.6.

NRA thanks Attorney General Liz Murrill and Senator Blake Miguez for publicly defending Louisianans’ Second Amendment rights and asking Lafayette to rescind this misguided policy. NRA-ILA will continue tracking developments on this unfolding situation in Lafayette and explore taking action if necessary.


TRENDING NOW
U.S. Court of Appeals Backtracks on Adverse Suppressor Ruling

News  

Monday, June 23, 2025

U.S. Court of Appeals Backtracks on Adverse Suppressor Ruling

In a single sentence, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit added to the high-profile and consequential national conversation on firearm suppressors.

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

News  

Second Amendment  

Thursday, May 22, 2025

U.S. House Passes Reconciliation Bill, Removing Suppressors from the National Firearms Act

Earlier today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R.1 the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which included Section 2 of the Hearing Protection Act, completely removing suppressors from the National Firearms Act (NFA).

2A News Out of New Jersey You Won’t Believe: It’s Actually a Good Thing!

News  

Monday, June 23, 2025

2A News Out of New Jersey You Won’t Believe: It’s Actually a Good Thing!

The Garden State is not where most seek positive developments regarding our right to arms, so we were pleasantly surprised when Englishtown, N.J., recently made a move to support the Second Amendment.

Switched Off: A Case Study on Minnesota’s Illegal Machine Gun Law

News  

Monday, June 23, 2025

Switched Off: A Case Study on Minnesota’s Illegal Machine Gun Law

There’s been a lot of noise of late about auto sears or so-called “Glock switches” – devices to convert a semiautomatic firearm into an automatic weapon. 

Update: Washington Post Fact Checks Misleading Ad Council “Children” and Firearms Talking Point

News  

Monday, June 23, 2025

Update: Washington Post Fact Checks Misleading Ad Council “Children” and Firearms Talking Point

Last week, NRA-ILA explained how a recent public service announcement campaign from the federally-funded Ad Council, and the gun control lobby more broadly, manipulates statistics to create misleading talking points about “children” and firearms.

DOJ Files Amicus Brief Supporting NRA-Backed Challenge to IL’s Ban on “Assault Weapons” and “Large-Capacity Magazines”

Tuesday, June 17, 2025

DOJ Files Amicus Brief Supporting NRA-Backed Challenge to IL’s Ban on “Assault Weapons” and “Large-Capacity Magazines”

Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice filed an amicus brief in the Seventh Circuit supporting an NRA-backed challenge to Illinois’s prohibition on so-called “assault weapons” and “large-capacity magazines.”

Ninth Circuit Strikes Down CA’s One-Gun-A-Month Law

Friday, June 20, 2025

Ninth Circuit Strikes Down CA’s One-Gun-A-Month Law

Today, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals held that California’s law prohibiting people from buying more than one firearm in a 30-day period violates the Second Amendment.

Gun-Control Window Dressing: Chicago Inspector-General Calls Out Futility of Gun Offender Registry

News  

Monday, June 16, 2025

Gun-Control Window Dressing: Chicago Inspector-General Calls Out Futility of Gun Offender Registry

Fifteen years ago, the City of Chicago adopted a “gun offender registry” ordinance that requires convicted gun offenders to register with the police and have police monitor anyone listed in the registry. 

Minnesota: Shotgun-Only Hunting Zones Repealed

Friday, June 20, 2025

Minnesota: Shotgun-Only Hunting Zones Repealed

On Monday, June 9th, outside of regular session, the Senate passed the Environment Omnibus bill, removing shotgun-only hunting zones in the state. 

Rhode Island: Legislature Passes Semi-Auto Ban

Sunday, June 22, 2025

Rhode Island: Legislature Passes Semi-Auto Ban

After years of showing up at the Statehouse in huge numbers fighting against a drastic semi-auto ban, gun owners were rightfully upset when the Legislature finally pushed an amended version across the finish line to ...

MORE TRENDING +
LESS TRENDING -

More Like This From Around The NRA

NRA ILA

Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the "lobbying" arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.