Students at Louisiana's public colleges and universities can now legally carry pepper spray and other self-defense chemical sprays on campus under a new state law that took effect August 1. The measure prohibits public postsecondary institutions from banning possession of the sprays, though schools can still restrict them in certain sensitive locations.
The law, known as Act 421, stems from House Bill 195, authored by state Representative Mike Bayham during the 2026 legislative session. As reported by WVUE Fox 8, the law allows students to protect themselves on campus and is now in effect for the new school year. Bayham told the station he made adjustments to reduce the risk of harm from the law and worked directly with universities on the policy before it passed.
Under the new statute, codified as Louisiana Revised Statute 17:3399.20, a self-defense chemical spray is defined as a compact device containing no more than two ounces of chemical, carried solely for lawful personal protection, according to the Louisiana State Legislature. That two-ounce cap lines up with regulatory thresholds seen elsewhere; California allows canisters up to 2.5 ounces while Florida caps them at 2 ounces, per SABRE.
Where Campuses Can Still Say No
The law is not without limits. Public colleges retain authority to prohibit chemical spray at campus preschools, elementary or secondary schools they operate, patient care facilities, locations with armed security, and other contracted off-limit spaces, per the legislature's text of the bill. Bayham explained that students cannot bring self-defense spray to events such as football or basketball games where substantial security is already present, the station's report notes.
Bayham framed the law around the practical reality that officers cannot be everywhere at once. He said police cannot be present at all hours or all campus locations, and argued that people need the ability to protect themselves when police are not present, according to the same account.
A Student's Perspective From New Orleans
For some students, the law addresses a real gap they feel on urban campuses. Laura Kaye Brown, a student at Xavier University who lives on the campus of LSU New Orleans, said self-defense spray is a good form of protection for students on campuses located directly in the community, the outlet reported.
The new spray law arrives against the backdrop of a broader expansion of self-defense rights in Louisiana. It follows the state's 2024 enactment of permitless concealed carry under Senate Bill 1, which allowed adults 18 and older to carry concealed handguns without a permit starting July 4, 2024, according to LSU Law Digital Commons. During the same 2026 legislative session that produced the spray law, Representative Danny McCormick pre-filed House Bill 99, which would allow permitless concealed handgun carry on public college campuses, a more contentious proposal noted by Campus Reform.
Part of a Wider Regional Push
Louisiana is not alone in codifying nonlethal self-defense rights on campus. Tennessee passed a similar law in July 2024 prohibiting public colleges from banning nonlethal self-defense items like pepper spray and stun guns, according to WVLT. In July 2026, North Carolina lawmakers introduced Senate Bill 955 to bar higher-education institutions from banning nonlethal self-defense devices, including pepper spray, pepper gel, and tasers, for people 18 and older, per the University of North Carolina Legislative Reporting Service.
House Bill 195 moved through the Louisiana Legislature with no dissenting votes, passing the House 93-0 on April 8, 2026, and clearing the Senate 34-0 on May 19, 2026, according to legislative records tracked by LegiScan. Governor Jeff Landry signed it into law on May 29, 2026. Louisiana public universities remain separately required under state statute R.S. 17:3399.18 and the federal Clery Act to compile and publish semi-annual crime statistics and power-based violence reports, per LSU's own campus safety documentation.
