The State Fair of Texas is doubling down on its gun ban — and Texas Gun Rights is warning that the policy does nothing to stop criminals.
“The State Fair’s gun ban does nothing to stop criminals,” said Texas Gun Rights President Chris McNutt. “It only turns peaceable Texans into sitting ducks, stripping them of the ability to protect themselves and their families.”
The shooting that triggered the ban was not committed by a licensed carrier peacefully following the law. It was committed by someone who illegally snuck a gun into the fairgrounds.
Instead of fixing the security failures that allowed that to happen, the State Fair chose to disarm law-abiding Texans in one of the highest-crime areas of Dallas.
Dallas’ Backdoor Gun Ban
Under Texas law, cities cannot ban licensed carry on public property.
But Dallas and the State Fair are trying to do through a private operator what the city cannot legally do itself: turn public property into a gun-free zone.
“Under state law, Dallas cannot legally ban licensed carry on public property, so they are trying to hide behind a private operator to do it for them,” McNutt said.
So far, an activist judge has allowed them to get away with it by refusing to enforce the law as written.
That leaves law-abiding Texans forced to choose between attending one of the largest public events in the state and exercising their right to self-defense.
TXGR Fought to Close the Loophole
Texas Gun Rights fought in the Legislature last session to shut down this backdoor gun ban loophole.
The bill passed the Senate but stalled in the House late in session.
In 2027, TXGR will fight like hell to finish the job — and to make sure any private operator that disarms law-abiding Texans can be held legally liable when its so-called gun-free zone fails to protect the very people it disarmed.
The State Fair Kicked the Hornet’s Nest
The State Fair and the City of Dallas could have focused on criminals.
They could have fixed their security failures.
They could have respected the rights of law-abiding Texans.
Instead, they chose to disarm the people who follow the law.
“The State Fair and the City of Dallas just kicked the hornet’s nest,” McNutt said.
Chip in today to help Texas Gun Rights fight back against gun-free zones, backdoor carry bans, and every attack on the right of Texans to defend themselves and their families.
