2014 Louisiana Laws
Revised Statutes
TITLE 40 - Public Health and Safety
RS 40:1379.1 - Special officers; powers and duties; concealed handgun permit

§1379.1. Special officers; powers and duties; concealed handgun permit

A. The superintendent of state police shall be authorized to issue at his discretion a special officer's commission from the division of state police. Any person who receives a special officer's commission must display need for statewide police power and power to arrest, be bonded, and adhere to all restrictive stipulations as set forth in the special officer's commission.

B. The special officer, when performing those tasks requiring a special officer's commission, shall have the same powers and duties as a peace officer; provided, however, that when not performing these tasks directly related to the special officer's commission, he shall be regarded as a private citizen and his commission shall not be in effect.

C. The superintendent of state police shall determine who is entitled to receive a special officer's commission and may promulgate and adopt regulations providing with respect to the issuance and use of said permits.

D. The superintendent of state police shall have the authority to revoke any special officer's commission for cause, and is further empowered to require those holding special officer's commissions to furnish proof of their being bonded and such other information as may be deemed necessary for determining suitability for holding a special officer's commission.

E. All special officer or agent commissions previously issued by the department of public safety are rescinded upon the effective date of this Section.

F. During a declared state of emergency or disaster by the governor, the deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections, public safety services, office of state police may issue a special officer’s commission to a commissioned law enforcement officer who responds to a request for assistance pursuant to the Southern Regional Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Management Assistance Compact, as found in R.S. 29:751 and is determined by the deputy secretary to need statewide police power and power to arrest. Any person who receives a special officer’s commission under this Subsection shall not be required to be bonded and shall adhere to all restrictive stipulations as set forth in the special officer’s commission and regulations promulgated and adopted pursuant to Subsection C of this Section. Such person shall have the powers and duties of a peace officer, provided, that when he is not performing tasks directly related to the special officer's commission, he shall be regarded as a private citizen and his commission shall not be in effect.

G. Repealed by Acts 2013, No. 402, §3.

H. The deputy secretary of the Department of Public Safety shall have the authority to grant to an individual a concealed handgun permit from the office of state police. Before the individual applies to the deputy secretary for a permit, he must have been granted a concealed handgun permit by the chief law enforcement officer of the parish in which he is officially domiciled. Any individual who receives a concealed handgun permit from the office of state police must be bonded in the amount of five thousand dollars and must adhere to all restrictive stipulations as provided in the concealed handgun permit. Further, the deputy secretary shall have the authority to promulgate and adopt regulations providing with respect to the issuance and use of said permit.

I. The superintendent of state police or the chief law enforcement officer of a parish shall have the authority to revoke any concealed handgun permit, and is further empowered to require those holding handgun permits to furnish proof of their being bonded, and such other information as may be deemed necessary for determining suitability for holding a concealed handgun permit.

J. Special officer commissions shall be valid only for a period of one year from the date of their issuance. However, special officer commissions issued to employees of the department shall be valid until revoked by the superintendent. Special officer commissions issued to judges shall be valid for the length of their term of office.

K. For the purposes of this Section, "handgun" is defined as meaning any pistol or revolver originally designed to be fired by the use of a single hand and which is designed to fire or is capable of firing fixed cartridge ammunition.

L. No provision of this Section or of any regulation of the superintendent of state police shall be construed to require persons holding bona fide law enforcement officer commissions to possess a handgun permit.

M. Anyone in possession of a concealed handgun permit issued by the superintendent who uses a handgun in a task not directly related to the stipulations set forth in the permit shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

N.(1) Notwithstanding the provisions of Subsections A, B, C, and D of this Section, the deputy secretary of public safety services shall issue a special officer's commission to the sergeant at arms or assistant sergeants at arms of the Senate or the House of Representatives when directed to do so by the president of the Senate or the speaker of the House of Representatives. The deputy secretary shall not determine eligibility for a special officer's commission under this Subsection, which determination shall be made solely by the president of the Senate or the speaker of the House of Representatives.

(2) Commissions under this Subsection shall not exceed the term of the president of the Senate or the speaker of the House of Representatives, according to the length of the remaining term of the respective party.

Added by Acts 1975, No. 412, §1. Amended by Acts 1982, No. 663, §1; Acts 1991, No. 562, §1; Acts 1992, No. 892, §1, eff. July 8, 1992; Acts 1993, No. 942, §1; Acts 1996, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 4, §1, eff. April 19, 1996; Acts 1999, No. 1367, §1; Acts 2006, No. 317, §1, eff. June 13, 2006; Acts 2013, No. 402, §3.