The governor may call the National Guard, Louisiana State Guard, or militia into active state service for emergency and related purposes, and the adjutant general may do so for certain nonemergency mission-related purposes.
§7. Calling militia for active service by governor; homeland security and emergency preparedness; public emergency A.(1) The governor may, with or without a declaration of emergency, order into the active service of the state any part of the National Guard, Louisiana State Guard, or militia: (a) To provide for homeland security or emergency preparedness or otherwise assist civil authorities. (b) In the event of insurrection, invasion, or riot, or imminent danger thereof. (c) In the event of public disaster or danger from flood, fire, storm, earthquake, civil disturbances, or terrorist events. (d) In order to detect, prevent, prepare for, investigate, respond to, or recover from any of the foregoing. (e) To assist the civil authorities in guarding prisoners. (f) In response to a national or state emergency or a congressional authorization or presidential declaration pursuant to the War Powers Resolution (50 U.S.C. 1541 et seq.). (g) To provide support to other states under an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC). (2) For any of the reasons provided for in this Section, the governor may order the active National Guard into the active service of the state in either a state active duty status or to active duty pursuant to Title 32 of the United States Code, if Title 32 duty is approved by national command authorities. (3) The adjutant general may order into the active service of the state any member or unit of the National Guard or Louisiana State Guard for nonemergency purposes which are necessary and attendant to the mission of the state Military Department. B. When called to state service by the governor as provided in Subsection A, whether on state active duty or active duty pursuant to Title 32, United States Code, members of the Louisiana National Guard and Louisiana Military Police shall, unless otherwise restricted by the executive orders, proclamations, or regulations or the orders of their commander, have all of the powers and authority of peace officers, including but not limited to the powers to make arrests, to perform searches and seizures, to execute criminal warrants, and to exercise such other powers and duties of a peace officer as are reasonably necessary to preserve the lives, property, and security of persons in the subject civil jurisdiction, all in accordance with the laws and constitutions of Louisiana and the United States of America. C. When the active national guard, or a part thereof, is called to duty under the constitution and laws of the United States of America, the governor shall order into service the remaining units of the active national guard, if any, or any part thereof that is necessary. D. If the number of persons available from the active national guard is not sufficient, he shall order out whatever part of the unorganized militia necessary. During the absence of active national guard organizations in the service of the United States of America, their state designations shall not be given to new organizations. Acts 1974, No. 622, §1. Amended by Acts 1980, No. 246, §1; Acts 2001, 2nd Ex. Sess., No. 8, §1, eff. Oct. 16, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 40, §2, eff. May 23, 2003; Acts 2007, No. 309, §1, eff. July 1, 2007.