Creates the crime of unsecured storage of firearms. (8/1/26)

Senate Bill 344 creates a new criminal offense under Louisiana Revised Statutes 14:95.4 that prohibits the unsecured storage of firearms. The law makes it unlawful for any person to store a firearm in an unsecured manner on premises under their control when they know or should reasonably know that a minor or a prohibited person may gain access to the weapon. The statute defines "unsecured" as any firearm not stored in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant trigger lock that requires a key, combination, biometric input, or other secure authentication method to operate. The law also establishes the categories of persons whose access to firearms must be prevented: minors, defined as persons under eighteen years old, and prohibited persons, including those barred from firearm ownership under state or federal law, persons adjudicated mentally ill or committed to mental institutions, and persons subject to protective orders against firearm possession.

The legislation directly affects firearm owners throughout Louisiana by imposing affirmative storage obligations in their homes, vehicles, or other locations where they control the premises. Penalties for violation include a fine not exceeding five hundred dollars and imprisonment for not more than six months, or both. If a violation results in bodily injury caused by a minor or prohibited person who accessed the unsecured firearm, penalties escalate to a maximum fine of one thousand dollars and imprisonment for up to one year with or without hard labor. The law provides three exceptions: it does not apply when a firearm is carried on the person of the owner, when a minor or prohibited person unlawfully enters the premises and gains access, or when a minor obtains the firearm with the owner's permission for lawful hunting or recreational shooting under adult supervision. These exceptions preserve common lawful practices while targeting negligent storage scenarios.

The statute operates within the framework of Louisiana's weapons code and specifically references R.S. 14:95.1, which contains existing prohibitions on firearm ownership. The legislation explicitly provides that it shall not be construed to impair the right to keep and bear arms under Article I, Section 11 of the Louisiana Constitution or the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution, addressing potential constitutional concerns about the scope of firearm regulation. The effective date of August 1, 2026 provides advance notice to the public of the new criminal requirement. Senate Bill 344 joins a growing number of state firearms storage laws adopted across the nation and positions Louisiana within the legal framework of states imposing civil liability or criminal penalties for negligent firearm storage practices.