§1379.1.1. Concealed handgun permit issued by sheriffs; reciprocity; contiguous parishes

A.(1) The sheriff of a parish shall have the authority to issue a concealed handgun permit to any person. The permit shall be valid only within the boundaries of the parish in which the sheriff has jurisdiction, unless the sheriff has entered into a reciprocity agreement as provided for in Subsection B of this Section.

(2) Upon application, the sheriff 's office shall perform a standard criminal record check. The officer who performed the standard criminal record check shall not be liable for acts committed by the permittee, unless the officer had actual personal knowledge at the time he issued the permit that the permittee was mentally unstable or disqualified by law from possessing a firearm.

B.(1) A sheriff may enter into a reciprocity agreement with any sheriff of a contiguous parish that shall authorize both sheriffs to issue concealed handgun permits to persons meeting the criteria provided for in Subsection C of this Section. Those permits issued pursuant to this Subsection shall be valid within the boundaries of the participating contiguous parishes. The agreement shall specify the terms of use regarding the issuance of the concealed handgun permits and any other restrictions deemed appropriate by the sheriffs.

(2) If a sheriff enters into a reciprocity agreement with any sheriff in a contiguous parish, no concealed handgun permits shall be issued to any person pursuant to Subsection A of this Section.

(3) Any concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to this Subsection shall be null, void, and of no effect if the permittee does not meet the criteria provided for in Subsection C of this Section.

C. To qualify for a concealed handgun permit issued by a sheriff who has entered into a reciprocity agreement with a sheriff of a contiguous parish, the applicant shall meet all of the following requirements:

(1) Make sworn application to the sheriff in the same manner provided for in R.S. 40:1379.3(C)(1) in which a concealed weapons permit application is made to the secretary of public safety services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

(2) Meet the same qualifications for the issuance of a concealed handgun permit pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 40:1379.3(C).

(3) Demonstrate competence with a handgun in the same manner provided for in R.S. 40:1379.3(D) in which a concealed weapons permit application is made to the secretary of public safety services of the Department of Public Safety and Corrections.

D.(1) Any information in an application for a concealed handgun permit or any information provided in connection with the application submitted to the sheriff's office pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be held confidential and shall not be subject to any public records request nor shall the information be considered as a public record pursuant to R.S. 44:1 et seq. The sheriff shall not be required to release any list of persons who applied for or received a permit for a concealed handgun pursuant to this Section; however, nothing in this Section shall limit or impede the exchange of information between law enforcement agencies, prohibit the sheriff from releasing information necessary to perform a background investigation, provide statistical information that does not identify individual applicants or permittees, or release information in response to an appropriate law enforcement function as determined by the issuing sheriff.

(2) Absent a valid court order requiring the release of information, or unless an applicant or a recipient of a concealed handgun permit is charged with a felony offense involving the use of a handgun, it shall be unlawful for any employee of the sheriff's office to intentionally release or disseminate for publication any information contained in an application for a concealed handgun permit or any information regarding the identity of any person who applied for or received a concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to this Section. A person who violates the provisions of this Paragraph shall be fined not more than five hundred dollars, imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.

(3)(a) Subject to the provisions of Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, it shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally release, disseminate, or make public in any manner any information contained in an application for a concealed handgun permit or any information regarding the identity of any person who applied for or received a concealed handgun permit issued pursuant to this Section. Any person except as provided for in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, who violates the provisions of this Paragraph shall be fined ten thousand dollars and may be imprisoned for not more than six months.

(b) The provisions of this Paragraph shall not apply to the release of information under any of the following circumstances:

(i) A valid court order requires the release of the information.

(ii) The information released identifies a concealed handgun permit holder or applicant who is charged with a felony offense involving the use of a handgun.

(iii) The information regarding a concealed handgun permit applicant or holder is released pursuant to the express approval for the release of such information by that permit applicant or holder.

(iv) The information regarding a concealed handgun permit holder or applicant has been made public by that concealed handgun permit holder or applicant.

E.(1) A sheriff who issues a concealed handgun permit pursuant to the provisions of Subsection B of this Section shall require an applicant to comply with the requirements of Subsection C of this Section and shall charge the fee in the amount set forth in R.S. 40:1379.3(H)(2).

(2) A sheriff who issues a concealed handgun permit pursuant to this Section shall revoke the permit if the permit holder violates any provision as provided for in R.S. 40:1379.3(F).

F. The provisions of this Section shall not invalidate any permit to carry a concealed handgun that was issued by a sheriff prior to August 1, 2013.

Acts 2013, No. 402, §1.