§54.3. Manufacture and possession of a bomb
A. It shall be unlawful for any person without a proper license as required by R.S.
40:1472.1 et seq. to knowingly and intentionally manufacture, possess, or have under his
control any bomb.
B. For purposes of this Section, the following terms shall have the following
meanings:
(1) "Bomb" means an explosive compound or mixture with a detonator or initiator,
or both, but does not include small arms ammunition. The term "bomb" shall also include
any of the materials listed in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection that are present in an
unassembled state but which could, when assembled, be ignited in the same manner as
described in Paragraph (3) of this Subsection, when possessed with intent to manufacture or
assemble a bomb.
(2) "Enhanced security zone" means the public spaces within an area that traditionally
hosts more than fifteen million people annually, contains a venue for sports and
entertainment with a capacity for more than seventy-five thousand people, a convention
center with more than one million square feet of exhibition space, and has one land-based
casino. This shall include the area of the city of New Orleans containing the boundaries of
the French Quarter Management District as provided in R.S. 25:799(B), the Downtown
Development District as provided in R.S. 33:2740.3(A), and the New Orleans Exhibition
Hall Authority Economic Growth and Development District as provided in R.S.
33:130.862(A).
(3) "Explosive" means gunpowders, powders used for blasting, all forms of high
explosives, blasting materials, fuses (other than electric circuit breakers), detonators, and
other detonating agents, smokeless powders, and any chemical compounds, mechanical
mixture, or device that contains any oxidizing and combustible units, or other ingredients,
in such proportions, quantities, or packing that ignition by fire, by friction, by concussion,
by percussion, or by detonation of the compound, mixture, or device or any part thereof may
cause an explosion.
C. This Section shall not apply to fireworks possessed within the meaning and
contemplation of R.S. 51:650 et seq.
D.(1) Except as provided in Paragraph (2) of this Subsection, whoever violates the
provisions of this Section shall be fined not more than ten thousand dollars, imprisoned at
hard labor for not more than twenty years, or both.
(2) Any person who violates the provisions of this Section within an enhanced
security zone within one hundred feet of any parade, demonstration, or gathering for which
a permit is issued by a governmental entity shall be fined not more than twenty thousand
dollars, imprisoned at hard labor for not more than twenty years, or both.
Added by Acts 1974, No. 375, §1. Amended by Acts 1979, No. 654, §1; Acts 1988,
No. 369, §1; Acts 2013, No. 59, §1, eff. May 30, 2013; Acts 2025, No. 424, §1.