BATON ROUGE, La. (RNS) A state lawmaker is proposing to allow people who are legally qualified to carry concealed weapons to bring them to houses of worship as long as the pastor or church board approves.

The proposal, filed ahead of the legislative session that opens March 29, is one of 74 House bills that have been filed so far.

State Rep. Henry Burns, a Republican, filed a bill to let a church, temple, mosque or other religious institution authorize “any person issued a valid concealed handgun permit” to carry it into a place of worship.

State law now prohibits concealed weapons in prisons, courthouses, government buildings, the State Capitol, airports and houses of worship.

Burns, who has opposed legislative proposals to allow legally carried concealed weapons on college campuses, said 20 other states have laws that authorize trained and qualified gun owners to bring their guns to religious services.

The bill also gives congregations the authority to hire armed security guards or off-duty police officers. He said that whatever plan is devised, it must have the approval of the officials in charge of the religious facility.

“A church should have the opportunity to devise a security plan” allowing guns, he said. “I believe in the right to protect yourself.”

He said the bill would not let everyone with a permit to bring concealed weapons to services; it would allow church leaders to designate certain people to do so.

“With domestic terrorism increasing, I wanted to make this an option,” Burns said. “We should not be sheep for the slaughter. I want a controlled security system, not an armed camp.”