As the World Turns...

So does another Louisiana Legislative Session with a liberal feel good law that does nothing


Cedric Richmond went to Washington, D.C. Now Rep. Juan Lafonta has stepped into his place.

Rep. Juan LaFonta, D-New Orleans, has filed House Bill 8 to prohibit the sale of "illegal ammunition." The bill defines an illegal sale as one that takes place without the seller "verifying that the serial number" or identification mark on the firearm has not been obliterated -- often the sign of an illegally owned weapon.

LaFonta's bill would exempt antique firearms but would apply to ammo sold for pistols, revolvers, rifles, shotguns, machine guns and assault rifles that fire ammunition.

The bill sets the maximum penalty for a violation at up to six months in jail, a maximum fine of $500 or both.



Me thinks that his term for "illegal ammunition" means all ammunition since his proposed bill involves checking for an "illegal" gun, not the ammo. I guess if the libs can't stop guns sales they'll go after the ammo.



Dear Representative LaFonta,



As a resident of New Orleans, Lifetime NRA Member and Concealed Carry Instructor for the State of Louisiana, I believe that the bill you pre-filed in the La. Legislature, House Bill 8, will do nothing to stem the flow of ammunition sales to owners of illegal guns. Again, another feel-good tactic to blame the gun and not the owner will not have any affect. All this bill would do would put more burdens on lawful firearms owners and shopkeepers and law enforcement. If a store owner has to verify that the firearm’s serial number is not obliterated, that would force the owner of the firearm to bring it in the store. Since you concern is about firearms, I suppose it would not bother you that I or anyone else totes my semi-automatic rifle, pistol or shotgun through a public parking lot and into a store. I’m also assuming that the public in general will not feel any apprehension as well when that occurs. This will also create more burdens on store owners as they now have more paperwork and liability. All I see this bill trying to do is put them out of business or making it more difficult to run their business. In this difficult economic time, that is another burden they do not need. Some firearms also need disassembly to find the serial number. Will the store owner be liable if the firearm is returned and does not work? Some stores (especially “big box” athletic stores); do not have sales representatives versed in firearms. Some of them are what I would call “kids” who spend more time selling sneakers than ammunition.



Firearms owners are more burdened as well and this proposed bill is nothing more than a de facto restriction on our Second Amendment rights. If I want to purchase ammunition for different firearms I own with different calibers, I would have to bring all those firearms into a store. As I mentioned before, will the general public have any apprehension if I bring one let alone MULTIPLE firearms into a store? BY making us jump more hoops just to try and slow down a criminal who will NOT follow this law, your are restricting my Second Amendment rights by restricting my ability to use the firearm. More burdens means it is less likely a lawful owner will not go to the store to purchase ammunition. A firearm with no ammunition is like fire department with no firemen, it provides no safety.

I also remember a law passed a couple of years ago to stop illegal firearm discharges at pre-Lenten parades. After seeing several shootings over the last few years, I have not seen or heard anyone being prosecuted for that law. Just like this law, the proposed law does not make any logical sense. Is this another law that will go on the books with no follow up?



Let’s also remember another thing. Ownership of a firearm with an obliterated mark is a FEDERAL offense. Are we expected to turn store owners into de facto un-deputized Federal Officers? Will it be the responsibility of the store owner to report obliterated firearms and owner’s to BATFE or are they liable if they do not?



Remember, illegal gun owners are criminals. They are called criminals because they break the law. They also break the law by getting someone else to buy the ammunition or they steal it. They will continue to steal or flout the law in order to get their ammunition or they will bring in an intact gun to get ammunition for the illegal gun. This law will just force them to go somewhere else; theft or out of state. Mississippi is less than an hour away.



Representative LaFonta, I appreciate your desire to protect the interests and safety of the citizen in your community and state. We expect that from all our elected officials. However I think citizen’s interests would be better served if we designed and passed meaningful legislation to go after the criminals for their acts directly. By acting on the inanimate object to get to the criminal does nothing more than vilify the lawful citizen, it is treating the lawful citizen as a criminal until they can “prove” they are innocent by showing a legally owned firearm. Please do not turn our store owners into police officers, let real law enforcement do their job and go after the bad people. Laws like this have not worked. Trying to restrict guns, and then trying to restrict ammunition for guns all have the same affect, no change in criminal behavior or actions. Going after the criminals is the only way to deter and lower crime. Yes, you could say the proposed bill is a small price to pay, but all small prices eventually add up and become a big price to pay. With several thousand laws on the books all over the country, let’s enforce what we have now!