§4879. Purpose; firearms buyback program; authorization

A. It is not the purpose of this Section to discourage private ownership of firearms by law abiding citizens, but rather to provide an avenue by which citizens may safely dispose of firearms they no longer desire to own.

B. Any municipality or parish may institute a firearms buyback program. Funding for the buyback program shall be acquired from cash donations from private businesses and may include funds from the assets, seizures, and forfeitures of any participating law enforcement agency within the jurisdiction of the municipality or parish, and no other public funds shall be used to implement the program. The firearms buyback program shall exist for not more than a thirty-day period in any calendar year or shall exist until the funds acquired or received for the purchase of the firearms are exhausted.

C. The municipality or parish shall promulgate rules of procedure governing the acquisition and disposal of firearms purchased through the program. Such weapons shall either be destroyed or delivered to law enforcement agencies of the municipality or parish for departmental use. Departmental use may include the sale of the firearms at a public auction. The proceeds of the sales shall be used to defray the costs of administering the auction, and any surplus funds shall be deposited into the training fund of the law enforcement agency conducting the sale or may be used by that agency to purchase law enforcement equipment. Any firearm sales authorized pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall comply with all state and federal firearms laws. In no case shall such weapon be given to any individual, except that a stolen weapon shall be returned to its rightful owner on proof of ownership.

Acts 1992, No. 600, §1; Acts 2011, 1st Ex. Sess., No. 20, §1, eff. June 12, 2011; Acts 2014, No. 407, §1.