§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.