State rep. authors bill in an effort to combat illegal gun use

SHREVEPORT, La. (KSLA) - State Representative Thomas Pressly has authored a bill with the purpose to decrease gun violence.

HB 493 would decrease the allowable time for ‘good behavior days’ of felons in possession of a firearm when they have previously committed a crime of violence, as defined by La. R.S. 14:2.

“It’s imperative that we provide our law enforcement officials with the tools necessary to keep communities throughout Louisiana safe,” reads a Facebook post. “This bill does just that. Our communities will be safer by keeping guns out of the hands of individuals who have committed a crime of violence previously and providing strong penalties for those who violate this law. By ensuring that felons who are found in possession of a firearm serve additional time behind bars, we will keep violent criminals off of our streets.”

Pressly says that the bill has the support of the Louisiana District Attorneys’ Association, the Louisiana Sheriffs’ Association, Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator, Bossier Parish Sheriff Julian Whittington and others.