89R16088 JSC-D
By: West S.B. No. 2556
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to regulating the carrying of firearms on or within
publicly owned fairgrounds and similar public facilities during
certain events; creating a criminal offense.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Chapter 250, Local Government Code, is amended
by adding Section 250.014 to read as follows:
Sec. 250.014. REGULATION OF FIREARMS ON OR WITHIN PUBLICLY
OWNED FAIRGROUNDS AND SIMILAR PUBLIC FACILITIES. (a) A
municipality or county may adopt a regulation prohibiting a person,
including a person who holds a license to carry a handgun under
Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, from carrying a
firearm:
(1) on or within a publicly owned fairground or a
similar public facility owned or leased by the municipality or
county during a fair, festival, carnival, or similar event operated
by the municipality or county; or
(2) on or within a fairground or a similar public
facility during a fair, festival, carnival, or similar event:
(A) operated by a private entity; and
(B) located on property owned by the municipality
or county.
(b) A private entity that uses a fairground or similar
public facility owned by a municipality or county to host a fair,
festival, carnival, or similar event may prohibit the carrying of a
firearm by any person, including a person who holds a license to
carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code,
on the property, regardless of whether the municipality or county
has adopted a regulation under Subsection (a).
(c) Subsections (a) and (b) do not authorize a municipality,
county, or private entity to regulate or prohibit the carrying of a
firearm by a person described by Section 46.15(a)(1), Penal Code,
or by a person who is otherwise authorized to carry a firearm under
a license or commission issued under Chapter 1702, Occupations
Code.
SECTION 2. Section 46.03, Penal Code, is amended by adding
Subsection (a-5) and amending Subsection (g-2) to read as follows:
(a-5) A license holder or other person commits an offense
if:
(1) the person carries a firearm on or within a
publicly owned fairground or similar public facility, other than an
amusement park;
(2) the carrying of a firearm on or within the
fairground or facility is prohibited under Section 250.014(a) or
(b), Local Government Code; and
(3) the municipality, county, or private entity
imposing the prohibition has given effective notice under Section
30.06 or 30.07, as applicable, with respect to the fairground or
facility.
(g-2) An offense committed under Subsection (a)(8),
(a)(10), (a)(11), (a)(13), (a-2), (a-3), [or] (a-4), or (a-5) is a
Class A misdemeanor.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.