By Chris McNutt
The fight to ban red flag-style gun confiscation laws in Texas is reaching a critical moment, as Senate Bill 1362 by Bryan Hughes has officially been placed on the Texas Senate Intent Calendar, signaling that the bill could receive a full Senate vote any day now.
This move also likely means that Lt. Governor Dan Patrick believes the votes are there — or will soon be there — to send the bill forward to the Texas House.
The push for SB 1362 has been led by Texas Gun Rights (TXGR), which has spent the last four years rallying support to prohibit red flag gun confiscation laws in Texas alongside State Representative Briscoe Cain, who filed the House companion to the Hughes bill (HB 162).
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Just last month, TXGR President Chris McNutt spoke directly with Lt. Governor Patrick, urging him to allow a vote on this critical bill.
Barely more than a week later, the bill was scheduled for a hearing.
Chris McNutt, Kyle Rittenhouse and CJ Grisham all testified in support of SB 1362 before the Texas Senate State Affairs Committee — on behalf of Texas Gun Rights — making the case for why Texas must reject red flag style laws that allow for gun confiscation without due process.
Kyle Rittenhouse’s testimony of support on SB 1362.https://t.co/aLEi1MHFdN | #nocompromise pic.twitter.com/k53aGWHK0x
— Texas Gun Rights (@TXGunRights) March 11, 2025
Their testimony helped secure a unanimous 10-0 vote in favor of SB 1362 (one member, Democrat Judith Zaffirini, was absent).
A Growing Conservative Senate Pushes Pro-Gun Legislation
With SB 1362 now advancing, it’s clear that the Texas Senate is more pro-gun than in previous sessions, largely due to key conservative gains in the 2024 elections.
Lt. Governor Patrick’s endorsed candidates—Brent Hagenbuch and Adam Hinojosa—helped shift the balance. Hinojosa narrowly unseated Democrat Morgan LaMantia, flipping that seat from “blue” to “red.” Hagenbuch, however, replaced moderate Republican Drew Springer after he chose not to seek re-election.
Hagenbuch has already made a pro-gun splash, filing TXGR-backed SB 1596 to remove short-barrel firearms from the state prohibited weapons list — , which received a hearing just days after SB 1362.
Senator Joan Huffman (R-Houston), long known for being a thorn in the side of gun owners during previous legislative sessions, now appears to be on an island alone as the most moderate Republican in the chamber — and for once may be subdued by the growing conservative Republican coalition.
With these shifts, the Texas Senate is seemingly poised to pass pro-gun bills with more ease than ever before.
Texas Gun Owners Must Keep Up the Pressure
The placement of SB 1362 on the Intent Calendar is a strong sign that the Senate is prepared to pass this bill, but gun owners must not take anything for granted.
The bill still hasn’t passed, so there is still work to do. That’s why TXGR is urging its members and supporters to contact their elected officials immediately and demand they support SB 1362 on the Senate floor.
