Emergency Powers Law

During the emergency conditions following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, New Orleans’ police superintendent ordered the confiscation of privately owned firearms, saying “Only law enforcement will be able to have guns.”

While any individual may need firearms for protection at any time, it is during general emergencies that large numbers of people may face an acute need for firearms for that purpose. Today, most states, including Louisiana, have laws prohibiting the seizure or confiscation of lawfully-owned firearms and ammunition during a declared state of emergency.