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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to regulating the carrying of firearms on or within |
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publicly owned fairgrounds and similar public facilities during |
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certain events; creating a criminal offense. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 250, Local Government Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 250.014 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 250.014. REGULATION OF FIREARMS ON OR WITHIN PUBLICLY |
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OWNED FAIRGROUNDS AND SIMILAR PUBLIC FACILITIES. (a) A |
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municipality or county may adopt a regulation prohibiting a person, |
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including a person who holds a license to carry a handgun under |
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Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, from carrying a |
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firearm: |
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(1) on or within a publicly owned fairground or a |
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similar public facility owned or leased by the municipality or |
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county during a fair, festival, carnival, or similar event operated |
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by the municipality or county; or |
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(2) on or within a fairground or a similar public |
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facility during a fair, festival, carnival, or similar event: |
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(A) operated by a private entity; and |
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(B) located on property owned by the municipality |
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or county. |
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(b) A private entity that uses a fairground or similar |
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public facility owned by a municipality or county to host a fair, |
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festival, carnival, or similar event may prohibit the carrying of a |
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firearm by any person, including a person who holds a license to |
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carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, |
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on the property, regardless of whether the municipality or county |
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has adopted a regulation under Subsection (a). |
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(c) Subsections (a) and (b) do not authorize a municipality, |
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county, or private entity to regulate or prohibit the carrying of a |
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firearm by a person described by Section 46.15(a)(1), Penal Code, |
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or by a person who is otherwise authorized to carry a firearm under |
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a license or commission issued under Chapter 1702, Occupations |
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Code. |
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SECTION 2. Section 46.03, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (a-5) and amending Subsection (g-2) to read as follows: |
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(a-5) A license holder or other person commits an offense |
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if: |
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(1) the person carries a firearm on or within a |
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publicly owned fairground or similar public facility, other than an |
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amusement park; |
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(2) the carrying of a firearm on or within the |
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fairground or facility is prohibited under Section 250.014(a) or |
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(b), Local Government Code; and |
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(3) the municipality, county, or private entity |
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imposing the prohibition has given effective notice under Section |
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30.06 or 30.07, as applicable, with respect to the fairground or |
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facility. |
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(g-2) An offense committed under Subsection (a)(8), |
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(a)(10), (a)(11), (a)(13), (a-2), (a-3), [or] (a-4), or (a-5) is a |
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Class A misdemeanor. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |