Bobby Jindal Bans Publishing Gun Permit Owners' Information

Well it’s a new success for gun owners in the state of Louisiana. On Wednesday Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a new law making it illegal for journalists or anyone else to publicly identify concealed gun permit holders or applicants. It'll be a misdemeanor to release or publish names or addresses with a fine up to $10,000.

As many of you will remember, after the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary last December some counties in New York were publishing that information for use by their citizens. But it turns out that maybe after all, people didn’t want their information spread all over the newspapers for everyone to see. Many gun owners in this area were outraged and the newspaper eventually took down the map of gun owners and those with permit requests.

Governor Jindal was very active on Wednesday, addressing several issues gun owners have been concerned with lately.

Louisiana exempted gun permit applications from public records laws in 2008. Under the new law, violators who "intentionally disseminate for publication" the names, addresses and similar private information of permit holders could face up to six months in jail and a $10,000 fine.

The law does not apply when that information has been released by the permit holder, is already in the public domain, or when the permit holder has committed a gun-related felony.

The measure was one of seven gun bills Republican Governor Bobby Jindal signed on Wednesday, including a bill creating a lifetime concealed handgun permit, legislation allowing gun dealers to register people to vote at their gun stores, and bills aimed at restricting access to guns by people with mental health issues.

Maine, Virginia, Arkansas and Mississippi have all followed New York in closing gun permit records, according to Stateline.