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 “gun-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 gun-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 gun-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 AG’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 that prohibits 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.
I have asked @AGLizMurrill for an official AG opinion on the interpretation of the definition of “school property” in LA RS14:95.6.
As their Senator, the citizens of Lafayette and Acadiana can count on me to continue fighting to defend their second amendment constitutional… https://t.co/9QVEd8erk2 pic.twitter.com/WOYLMhUjIQ
— Blake Miguez (@BlakeMiguezLA) August 23, 2024
“Mayor Boulet has deferred to the university’s declaration that the museum is part of its campus and, thus, a gun-free zone.”
Really? The university is now the state legislature and makes law?
The mayor is a moron.
The mayor has zero legal or constitutional authority to defer to the university. In fact, she is in direct violation of Louisiana law which requires her to defer to the state AG and written law by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor. She has zero legal authority to designate or establish any such thing contrary to the deference she is legally obligated to follow from the state.
R S 14:95.6
For purposes of this Section:
(1) “School” means any public or private elementary, secondary, high school, or vocational-technical school, college, or university in this state.
(2) “School campus” means all facilities and property within the boundary of the school property.
Subsection B list exceptions:
https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/law.aspx?d=78745
It will be no surprise if others don’t try this too.
And open the door to all kinds of challenges on how much a school can limit enumerated rights? Oh no Briar Fox don’t throw me in the briar patch. Already watching a case involving medical freedom as well as religious so wouldn’t hurt to throw in the 2nd.