In a decision that has Texas gun owners fuming, a Dallas County district judge sided with the State Fair of Texas and the City of Dallas, upholding the controversial ban on firearms — including licensed concealed carry — at the publicly owned fairgrounds.
Judge Emily Tobolowsky denied a motion for summary judgment brought by Attorney General Ken Paxton’s office, effectively ending the legal challenge before it could even go to trial. The ruling came without explanation, drawing immediate backlash from pro-gun advocates across the state.
Chris McNutt, President of Texas Gun Rights, pulled no punches.
“This is judicial tyranny — plain and simple,” said McNutt. “A judge just gave the State Fair of Texas a free pass to trample on the Second Amendment, all on public property. Texans have a right to carry, and we won’t stop until that right is respected everywhere — including the State Fair.”
Background: A Battle Brewing Since 2023
The fight began last fall after a 2023 incident involving a prohibited shooter prompted fair officials to ban all firearms from the grounds — including lawful carry by licensed Texans and those carrying under the state’s constitutional carry law.
The move ignited outrage from gun owners and Republican lawmakers, prompting a formal legal challenge from AG Paxton and a firestorm of grassroots pressure.
Texas Gun Rights played a pivotal role in the early stages of the fight.
In the fall of 2024, the group filed a legal brief urging Paxton to take action. Shortly after, Paxton withdrew a prior legal opinion that had allowed nonprofits to ban firearms under narrow conditions.
When the State Fair of Texas refused to reverse course, Paxton filed a lawsuit naming the City of Dallas, City Manager Kimberly Tolbert, and the State Fair’s governing board as defendants — arguing that the blanket ban violated Texans’ constitutional rights.
But with this week’s ruling, the court sided with the gun control narrative, citing no legal justification while greenlighting continued enforcement of the ban.
Legislative Route Blocked Too
Texas Gun Rights also took the fight to the Texas Capitol during the 89th Legislative Session.
Backed by the organization, Senator Bob Hall filed Senate Bill 1065, which would have clarified that publicly leased property — like the fairgrounds at Fair Park — cannot arbitrarily ban guns from lawful citizens.
The bill passed the Texas Senate but died in the Texas House after failing to meet legislative deadlines.
“Let’s be clear: the State Fair of Texas receives city funds, leases city property, and operates on taxpayer dollars,” said McNutt. “They don’t get to act like a private corporation when it’s politically convenient. Gun owners deserve better.”
What’s Next?
With the courts punting and the legislature stalling, the next step for Texas Gun Rights may be returning to the courtroom or preparing for another legislative battle in 2027.
Until then, the 2025 State Fair of Texas — held on city-owned land at Fair Park — will remain a gun-free zone, even for the most responsible and law-abiding Texans.
And for McNutt and Texas Gun Rights, the fight is far from over.
“The State Fair can try to twist the law, and the courts can look the other way,” said McNutt. “But we will not stop fighting until the rights of every gun owner in Texas are fully restored — including at the gates of the State Fair.”
