House passes bills to restrict guns for some former juvenile offenders

Published: June 2, 2022

By: Piper Hutchinson, LSU Manship School News Service

*Rep. Debbie Villio supported a bill to prohibit some from juvenile offenders from possessing firearms. (Piper Hutchinson/LSU Manship School News Service)*

BATON ROUGE–The House voted 59-39 Tuesday to pass a bill that would prohibit former juvenile offenders from possessing firearms until they are 24 years old.

Senate Bill 379, sponsored by Sen. Barrow Peacock, R-Bossier City, would prohibit former juvenile offenders who have been adjudicated for a crime of violence from possessing firearms until then.

The House amended the bill, which was carried on the floor by Rep. Debbie Villio, R-Kenner, to remove a provision that would have allowed the former offenders to possess guns to hunt.

Rep. Joe Marino, I-Gretna, argued that the bill is unconstitutional, as juveniles are not convicted by a jury, but rather adjudicated solely by a judge.