SB 125 Louisiana Senate · 2025 Regular Session

EXPLOSIVES: Provides relative to explosives. (8/1/25) (EN SEE FISC NOTE SG RV)

SB 125 amends Louisiana's explosives licensing law to require applicants (including dealers, users, blasters, and handlers) to pay for background checks conducted by the Louisiana State Police and FBI. The bill specifies that costs for fingerprint cards and criminal history record checks must be borne by the applicant, shifting this expense from the state to license seekers. This change modifies the existing licensing process without altering the scope of explosive use or safety standards. The bill passed unanimously in the Senate (37-0) and is now moving to the House.

Bill status signed all 5 stages cleared

Introduction

Apr 2025

Committee Review

May 2025

Senate Passage

Jun 2025

House Passage

Jun 2025

Signed into Law

Jun 2025

Introduced Apr 3, 2025 Signed Jun 20, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 3 comparisons

What changed between versions

SB125 Original → SB125 Act 424 · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill updates Louisiana laws regarding explosives by adding a new crime for manufacturing or possessing a bomb and clarifying what constitutes a bomb versus other explosives. It also establishes a stricter penalty for violating these laws within specific high-risk areas like New Orleans' French Quarter. Finally, it confirms that applicants must pay for their own background check costs.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of criminal liability to include the specific act of manufacturing or possessing a bomb, which was not explicitly defined as a separate crime in the original text, and introduces a new 'enhanced security zone' exception for penalties.

DEFINITION

Added a specific legal definition for 'bomb,' distinguishing it from small arms ammunition and listing materials that could be assembled into a bomb.

Added a definition for 'explosive' to include gunpowders, blasting materials, and chemical mixtures capable of causing an explosion.

ENFORCEMENT

Created a new criminal offense for knowingly manufacturing or possessing a bomb without a license, punishable by fines up to $10,000 or up to 20 years in prison.

ELIGIBILITY

Defined 'enhanced security zones' (including parts of New Orleans) and established harsher penalties (fines up to $20,000) for bomb-related crimes committed within 100 feet of events in these zones.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that the cost of background investigations and criminal history checks for licensing applicants must be paid by the applicant, not the state department.

Floor votes · Senate Jun 10, 2025 · House Jun 8, 2025

How they voted

34–0

Passed · 4 other

Total votes 38

Jun 10, 2025

D Democratic11

8 Yea 3

72% Yea

R Republican27

26 Yea 1

96% Yea

Vote distribution

All Yea All Nay Mixed No data

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Amendments

Jun 10, 2025

Upper · Passed

Amendments proposed by the House read and concurred in by a vote of 35 yeas and 0 nays.

upper

Jun 8, 2025

Lower · Passed

Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 98, nays 0. Finally passed, ordered to the Senate.

lower

May 29, 2025

Introduced

Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments.

lower

May 28, 2025

Lower · Passed

Reported with amendments (9-0). Referred to the Legislative Bureau.

lower

May 6, 2025

Committee

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

lower

May 5, 2025

Upper · Passed

Read by title, passed by a vote of 37 yeas and 0 nays, and sent to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.

upper

Apr 29, 2025

Upper · Passed

Reported favorably.

upper

Apr 14, 2025

Committee

Introduced in the Senate; read by title. Rules suspended. Read second time and referred to the Committee on Judiciary B.

upper

1 primary · 1 co-sponsor