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HB328 • 2026

WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Prohibits the carrying of firearms in college or university dormitories

WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Prohibits the carrying of firearms in college or university dormitories

Education Firearms
Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
C. Denise Marcelle
Last action
2026-05-19
Official status
Involuntarily deferred in House Administration of Criminal Justice - Considered 5/19/26
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide specific details on enforcement or penalties for breaking this rule.

No Guns Allowed in College Dorms

This bill makes it illegal to carry firearms in college or university dormitories.

What This Bill Does

  • Makes carrying a firearm in college or university dormitories against the law.
  • Does not change rules for students who need guns for classes that require them, but they still can't keep guns in their dorm rooms.
  • Keeps rules allowing ROTC members to carry firearms as part of their activities, but not in dorms.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Students and staff at colleges and universities
  • People who break this rule can face legal consequences

Terms To Know

Firearm-free zone
An area where carrying firearms is not allowed.
ROTC
Reserve Officers' Training Corps, a program that prepares college students to become military officers.

Limits and Unknowns

  • The bill does not specify what happens if someone breaks this rule.
  • It is unclear how the law will be enforced in dormitories.

Bill History

  1. 2026-05-19 H

    Involuntarily deferred in committee.

  2. 2026-03-09 H

    Read by title, under the rules, referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

  3. 2026-02-27 H

    First appeared in the Interim Calendar on 2/27/2026.

  4. 2026-02-24 H

    Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on Administration of Criminal Justice.

  5. 2026-02-24 H

    Prefiled.

Official Summary Text

WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Prohibits the carrying of firearms in college or university dormitories

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
HLS 26RS-919 ORIGINAL
2026 Regular Session
HOUSE BILL NO. 328
BY REPRESENTATIVE MARCELLE
WEAPONS/FIREARMS: Prohibits the carrying of firearms in college or university
dormitories
1 AN ACT
2 To amend and reenact R.S. 14:95.2(C)(introductory paragraph) and (6) through (8), relative
3 to firearms; to provide relative to the crime of carrying a firearm or dangerous
4 weapon by a student or nonstudent on school property, at school-sponsored
5 functions, or in a firearm-free zone; to provide relative to exceptions for this offense;
6 and to provide for related matters.
7 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
8 Section 1. R.S. 14:95.2(C)(introductory paragraph) and (6) through (8) are hereby
9 amended and reenacted to read as follows:
10 §95.2. Carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon by a student or nonstudent on school
11 property, at school-sponsored functions, or in a firearm-free zone
12 * * *
13 C. The provisions of this Section shall do not apply to any of the following:
14 * * *
15 (6) Any student carrying a firearm to or from a class, in which he is duly
16 enrolled, that requires the use of the firearm in the class. However, such firearm
17 shall not be possessed in the dormitory room of that student.
18 (7) A student enrolled or participating in an activity requiring the use of a
19 firearm including but not limited to any ROTC function under the authorization of
Page 1 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.
HLS 26RS-919 ORIGINAL
HB NO. 328
1 a university. However, such firearm shall not be possessed in the dormitory room
2 of that student.
3 (8) A student who possesses a firearm in his dormitory room or while going
4 to or from his vehicle or any other person with permission of the administration.
5 * * *
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 328 Original 2026 Regular Session Marcelle
Abstract: Prohibits the carrying of firearms in college or university dormitories.
Present law provides for the crime of carrying a firearm or dangerous weapon by a student
or nonstudent on school property, at school-sponsored functions, or in a firearm-free zone
and provides for penalties.
Proposed law retains present law.
Proposed law lists exceptions to this criminal offense and provides that three of these
exceptions are as follows:
(1) Any student carrying a firearm to or from a class, in which he is duly enrolled, that
requires the use of the firearm in the class.
(2) A student enrolled or participating in an activity requiring the use of a firearm
including but not limited to any ROTC function under the authorization of a
university.
(3) A student who possesses a firearm in his dormitory room or while going to or from
his vehicle or any other person with permission of the administration.
Relative to the present law exceptions of carrying a firearm to or from a class that requires
the use of the firearm in that class and activities that require the use of a firearm under the
authorization of a university, proposed law prohibits the possession of such firearm in the
dormitory room of that student.
Proposed law further amends present law to remove the dormitory room of a student as a
location where possession of a firearm is permitted as an exception to the present law crime.
(Amends R.S. 14:95.2(C)(intro. para.) and (6)-(8))
Page 2 of 2
CODING: Words in struck through type are deletions from existing law; words underscored
are additions.