By Chris McNutt
The fight for the Second Amendment has shifted to the Texas Legislature, where anti-gun lawmakers are working overtime to shred the rights of law-abiding Texans.
Even as gun control measures continue to falter at the federal level, the anti-gun lobby is bringing its fight to the Lone Star State, attempting to use the state legislature as a battleground for advancing its radical, anti-gun agenda.
In Texas, the 89th Legislative Session is half-way over, and there has been minimal movement on firearms related legislation. But over 2/3 of the nearly 200 firearms related bills filed are radical gun control, targeting everything from private gun sales to bans on standard firearm accessories.
Of course, the number of gun control bills we’ve seen filed has been increasing from session to session, which has been exacerbated by the gun control lobby’s re-focusing on state legislative efforts in light of Trump re-taking the White House.
They understand that, while the average individual focuses on Washington D.C., many gains can be made at the state level — where they believe nobody is paying attention.
Red Flag Gun Confiscation Orders
Democrats have filed several Red Flag gun confiscation bills this session (HB 234, HB 478, HB 655, HB 893, HB 2570, and SB 2305). If passed, these bills would allow firearms to be seized from Texans based on accusations and assumptions rather than convictions. No crime would be necessary—just the word of a disgruntled ex, an angry neighbor, or a politically motivated family member. The accused wouldn’t even have a chance to defend themselves in court until after their guns have already been confiscated.
This is gun control at its worst—stripping away rights without a shred of due process and leaving law-abiding Texans defenseless while empowering the government to act on hearsay.
Worse, as seen in “red” states like Florida and Indiana, red flag gun confiscation laws are usually a bipartisan effort and an area where Republicans are known to cave to the anti-gun Left.
Thankfully, Texas Gun Rights is striking back and flipping the script by going on the offensive with bills in the House and Senate that would prohibit red flag-style laws in Texas (HB 162 & SB 1362).
Universal Background Checks, Private Sales Bans, and Gun Registration Schemes
Among some of the most egregious gun control bills filed are those seeking to create “universal background checks,” effectively destroying private firearm transfers in Texas (HB 397, HB 432, HB 461, and SB 353).
Similar bills targeting gun shows, attempting to regulate them out of existence, have also been filed (HB 682, HB 808, and HB 828).
These measures would criminalize Texans for engaging in private, lawful firearm sales, forcing every transaction through a government database and subjecting law-abiding citizens to invasive scrutiny by the government.
This is nothing short of a backdoor gun registration scheme—but it gets worse.
SB 691 would directly create a government registry, requiring law-abiding Texans to register their firearms with the state. This isn’t just backdoor gun control—it’s a blatant, in-your-face attack on the Second Amendment —the first step toward future confiscation.
Bans on Semi-automatic Firearms and Accessories
Bills to ban standard-capacity magazines (HB 481) and commonly-owned semi-automatic firearms (HB 443 & HB 623), criminalizing millions of responsible gun owners, have also been filed.
These are the very same firearms used by millions of Texans for self-defense, hunting, and sporting purposes. The Left’s goal is to demonize these firearms and portray them as “weapons of war,” but the truth is they are critical tools for self-defense in an increasingly dangerous world.
Multiple bills have also been filed to strip the Second Amendment rights of 18-20 year olds by banning their access to certain firearms (HB 306, HB 313, HB 352, HB 384, HB 579, HB 1150, HB 1556, SB 41, and SB 195).
These young adults are law-abiding citizens who can vote, serve in the military, and contribute to society—but under these bills, they would be denied their fundamental right to self-defense.
Worse, if passed, these bills would turn millions of responsible Texans into criminals overnight.
Repeal of Pro-Gun Laws
Anti-gun lawmakers have also filed legislation to repeal the Firearms Non-Discrimination Act (HB 224), opening the door for banks and corporations to blacklist the firearms industry.
They have also filed legislation gut open carry laws (HB 834), and allow colleges to opt out of campus carry (SB 354), effectively banning lawful carry in educational institutions.
These efforts aren’t about safety—they’re about control. The Left knows that if they can make carrying a firearm legally confusing and difficult, they can discourage lawful gun ownership altogether.
The Road Ahead
Following an extremely successful general election, many gun owners are already showing signs of being lulled back to sleep. This is evident in decreased donations, and also fewer numbers of constituents engaging with lawmakers through signing petitions, sending e-mails or even making phone calls in support or pro-gun legislation.
It is important that every pro-gun Texan understands that critical fights to not only defeat gun control, but to also capitalize on the pro-gun electoral victories, is happening right now.
Texas is under siege by a well-funded, radical anti-gun lobby, and unless gun owners stand up and fight back, they could lose rights that Texans have fought for generations to defend.
It is up to every pro-gun Texans to remain vigilant, and ensure that every elected official makes good on their pro-gun promises from the campaign season that allowed them to get elected.
The battle for the Second Amendment is moving swiftly through the Texas Legislature, and the clock is ticking. If the anti-gun Left succeeds in Texas, they’ll export their victory to the rest of the country. And once rights are taken away, they are rarely given back.
It’s time to draw the line in the sand.
