High school students from around southeast Louisiana gathered at the Capitol Monday to find out what it’s like to make laws.
“The legislators sit in these chairs up here, and the public sit in these chairs here, and they debate very meaty bills,” state director for the Hugh O’Brian Youth leadership program, Cindy Bishop explained, as a group of about 30 students entered one of the House committee rooms.
Governor John Bel Edwards, who spoke with the students, says HOBY’s annual “Action Legislature” day is important for the future of the Legislature itself.
“Just like every occupation, they need a pipeline of talent. So when you get kids who take an interest in it, you can show them how the process works,” the Governor told WRKF. “Hopefully they’ll get a sense for how it works and whether they’re interested. Whether they want to run for office or not, they need to be involved in the legislative process.”
Involved they were: first as committees, taking testimony and debating bills.
“Bills that they’re going to take up are pretty substantial,” the governor observed. “They’re they type of bills that we see here in the Legislature: whether to allow guns on college campuses, for example.”
And the students took their work seriously, talking through the potential pitfalls and benefits of allowing concealed carry on college campuses.
“If everyone is allowed to have guns on campus, anyone could be a problem and could be a shooter, and it’s really hard to identify until they actually do it,” stated one young man.
One of the young ladies advocating for the law said there are several steps required by any person applying for a permit.
“You have to go through the background check. You have to get fingerprinted. You have to take several classes about the safe use of the firearm.”
And another male student said the fact of allowing concealed carry would be a deterrent to someone thinking about actually firing their weapon at a classmate or faculty.
“A gun, if you’re trained and know how to use it, there’s the fear factor that’s going to stall them – that’s going to make them think more about what they’re doing.”
The committee ended up amending the bill to require a psychological exam before a permit could be granted.
And when they gathered as the full House?
“I just feel like this is an important bill that should be passed,” one of the female students argued.
The majority agreed.