(Texas Scorecard) – Attorney General Ken Paxton has sued the City of Dallas for banning licensed handgun owners from carrying into Fair Park’s Music Hall and the Majestic Theatre.
Dallas leases both event centers to outside groups, and has not stopped the groups from prohibiting licensed handgun holders from carrying in the facilities.
Under Texas Government Code § 411.209, state agencies and political subdivisions may not prohibit a license holder from carrying a handgun on property owned or leased by the government unless the license holder is prohibited from carrying by another law.
“The law is clear. Cities like Dallas have no authority to override state statutes that enable license holders to lawfully carry their handguns and protect themselves from potential threats,” said Paxton. “I will always do everything in my power to defend Texans’ gun rights from cities that would strip us of our legal rights.”
Texas Gun Rights celebrated Paxton’s actions on X, posting, “Gun Free Zones have NO PLACE IN TEXAS.”
Paxton previously filed a lawsuit against the City of Dallas—which owns Fair Park where the State Fair is held—for banning firearms last year.
A Dallas judge ruled in favor of the ban, saying it could stay in place because there was insufficient evidence to prove the firearm ban violated state law. Paxton appealed the decision, but the Texas Supreme Court sided with the City of Dallas, keeping the ban in place.
State Rep. Briscoe Cain (R-Deer Park) filed legislation to stop governmental entities from restricting the Second Amendment rights of licensed handgun holders. Cain’s bill is currently awaiting a hearing in the Texas House State Affairs Committee.