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Gun ordinance may be revised
By JACQUELINE COCHRAN
Special to The Advocate
Published: Jun 10, 2010 - Page: 3B
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GREENSBURG — The St. Helena Parish Police Jury has agreed to consider revising parish ordinances to clarify language dealing with unconcealed gun possession by residents.
“We ask that the words ‘carry and possess’ and ‘for any other purpose’ be stricken from the ordinances,” Steven Schwarer, of the Louisiana Open Carry Awareness League, told jurors Tuesday night.
St. Helena Parish currently forbids the carrying, possession or discharge of loaded firearms within 500 feet of swimming or picnic areas; within 500 feet of buildings or structures where people are present, unless the owners of the structures permit weapons possession; and within 100 feet of the center line of any public street, road or highway.
Schwarer said that if the law is read as written, it means even neighbors living in homes within 500 feet of each other cannot possess or carry a loaded gun without the permission of their neighbors.
Steve Raacke, another spokesman for the open carry group, said parish law contradicts state law, which supports an individual’s constitutional right to bear arms.
Raacke said that if the intent is to protect people from the discharge of weapons, keep the wording that addresses when and where weapons can be fired.
“It’s the mere possession or carrying of a weapon that we are trying to change,” he said.
Raacke said that as a former corrections officer who carries a loaded, unconcealed weapon, he wants to know he would not be breaking the law by simply crossing into St. Helena Parish.
Jury members directed attorney Clifton Speed to draft proposed amendments to parish gun laws for review in July.
Juror Major Coleman asked Speed to retain language concerning gun possession in areas where public gatherings are conducted.
Gun ordinance may be revised
By JACQUELINE COCHRAN
Special to The Advocate
Published: Jun 10, 2010 - Page: 3B
Comments (0)
GREENSBURG — The St. Helena Parish Police Jury has agreed to consider revising parish ordinances to clarify language dealing with unconcealed gun possession by residents.
“We ask that the words ‘carry and possess’ and ‘for any other purpose’ be stricken from the ordinances,” Steven Schwarer, of the Louisiana Open Carry Awareness League, told jurors Tuesday night.
St. Helena Parish currently forbids the carrying, possession or discharge of loaded firearms within 500 feet of swimming or picnic areas; within 500 feet of buildings or structures where people are present, unless the owners of the structures permit weapons possession; and within 100 feet of the center line of any public street, road or highway.
Schwarer said that if the law is read as written, it means even neighbors living in homes within 500 feet of each other cannot possess or carry a loaded gun without the permission of their neighbors.
Steve Raacke, another spokesman for the open carry group, said parish law contradicts state law, which supports an individual’s constitutional right to bear arms.
Raacke said that if the intent is to protect people from the discharge of weapons, keep the wording that addresses when and where weapons can be fired.
“It’s the mere possession or carrying of a weapon that we are trying to change,” he said.
Raacke said that as a former corrections officer who carries a loaded, unconcealed weapon, he wants to know he would not be breaking the law by simply crossing into St. Helena Parish.
Jury members directed attorney Clifton Speed to draft proposed amendments to parish gun laws for review in July.
Juror Major Coleman asked Speed to retain language concerning gun possession in areas where public gatherings are conducted.
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