Not so very long ago, a Democrat president as woefully unprepared to serve in the nation’s highest office as the current Democratic president is mentally incompetent to serve in the same office, made a banal but accurate remark. “Elections have consequences,” commented Barack Obama, and at least on that one occasion, he was absolutely right! Jeff Landry is currently in the process of demonstrating the correctness of Obama’s remark, albeit to the utter dismay of liberals and progressives throughout Louisiana.

Governor Landry’s first and second special sessions were highly successful. As a result we have closed primaries for some offices, will soon have a sorely needed state police presence in the French Quarter and environs, criminals are facing tougher laws and longer sentences, and law abiding citizens will be better protected.

Although we are still in the early stages of the far longer regular legislative session, all indications are that the Governor and conservative legislators will sweep the field in the coming weeks and months: Sanctuary cities will soon be banned in our state, the election integrity measures vetoed by John Bel Edwards will be implemented, and the drainage problems plaguing New Orleans may soon be cleaned up (pardon the pun). There are many more good things happening in our legislature, far too many to relate in this brief article. Suffice it to say that these reforms will do much to reverse Louisiana’s economic decline, and allow all of our citizens to enter into the mainstream of America’s economy.

As a former CEO of a security company, I would like to take this opportunity to express my special thanks to Governor Landry and his legislative allies for one particular bill passed in the recent special crime session, Senate Bill 1, introduced by Senator Blake Miguez. Folks may not have realized this fact, but until the second special session, Louisiana was the only Southern state which did not recognize Constitutional carry, obviously because John Bel Edwards had vetoed the previous bills!

Now the laws of Louisiana recognize the Constitutional right of every adult, law-abiding citizen to carry a weapon on his or her person. Until recently, only those able and willing to spring for a concealed carry course and a hefty license fee were allowed to carry a weapon in public. Not everyone could afford the time and expense involved in obtaining a CCW license, and I think we all sensed the unfairness in this situation.

But Senator Miguez has been a busy man in the field of gun rights, as well you might expect if you know him personally, as I do: Blake is one of the best pistol shots in the world, and he has the medals to prove it. In addition to the recently passed SB1, he also shepherded SB2 through the legislature, which bill encourages gun owner training and limits the liability of those trained and licensed through the state police issued CCW permit. Anyone who can afford the time and expense of obtaining this CCW permit, which will take up the better part of a day in the classroom and on the shooting range, should take the course. But as I opined in the previous paragraph, what about the folks who can’t afford the time and expense involved in obtaining such a permit?

Well, Senator Miguez has done more than carry SB1 and SB2 across the finish line. His little-known Firearms Safety Awareness Act (Act No. 518 of the 2022 Regular Session) has just assumed a great deal more importance now that Constitutional carry has been recognized in Louisiana. Basically, this act instructed the Louisiana State Police to create and post on its website a free, two hour on-line education video which covers all of the crucially important subjects taught in the instructor course. I visited the website and there it was, course and all, module by module, waiting for the viewer to take advantage of this hugely important, potentially life-saving free resource.

You can find the free online resource here:
https://www.lsp.org/services/concealed-handgun-information/handgun-education-courses/

Now this is not the same thing as taking the actual course by any means, but it is a far, far better alternative to receiving no training at all, and everyone may view the video as often as they wish. In fact, even those who take the instructor course would do well to view the on-line video every now and then as a refresher. Remember, protecting yourself and your friends and loved ones isn’t just about having a firearm at the ready- you also need to know how and when to use it!

A Special Postscript

This Saturday will mark the last day of my chairmanship of the LAGOP. I will always treasure the many friendships developed over the last six years and forty-eight days, but I well realize that it is time to move on and make way for the next chairman.

And while I can comfortably lay down the burdens of this office, one thing I must do before I depart is to acknowledge a debt of deep gratitude to the staff of the LAGOP. This brief acknowledgement does not permit me to thank everyone by name who worked or donated their time to the party over such an extended period of time, but my heartfelt thanks goes out to every one of you. The many successes which we have achieved over the years would simply not have been possible without your efforts.

I would like to thank my first executive director, Andrew Bautsch, as well as the current or recent staff members who got us through this fantastically successful election cycle:

Grant Scheeringa, executive director; Justin Green, data and administrative director; Nathan Hodson, outreach director, and Elizabeth Crochet, communications director. Working with limited resources, you brought the LAGOP to heights never before attained.

Lastly, I would like to thank Governor Landry for being such a fantastic candidate and thereby making our jobs so much easier. In Jeff Landry, the people of Louisiana have reposed their hopes and dreams for a better life. May God grant their wish!