Background Checks
87(R) HB 52 - Gun Show Background Check Mandate
Legislator: Representative Reynolds
Position: Opposed
Impact: Requires vendors to run federal background checks on firearms purchasers at gun shows, even if they have a Texas LTC., increasing cost for buyers and sellers.
87(R) HB 118 - Universal Background Checks
Legislator: Representative Ortega
Position: Opposed
Impact: Institutes mandatory universal background checks for firearms transfers, increasing cost, burdening federal resources, and inconveniencing business owners and Texans.
87(R) HB 218 - Universal Background Checks
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Institutes mandatory universal background checks for firearms transfers, increasing cost, burdening federal resources, and inconveniencing business owners and Texans.
87(R) HB 227 - Mandates NICS Denial Reporting
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Requires FFLs to report NICS check denials to the police. This means that even if the denial is erroneous, potentially violent encounters are more likely to occur thanks to police involvement.
87(R) HB 245 - Gun Show Background Check Mandate
Legislator: Representative Bernal
Position: Opposed
Impact: Requires vendors to run federal background checks on firearms purchasers at gun shows, even if they have a Texas LTC., increasing cost for buyers and sellers.
87(R) HB 347 - Punishes Applicants for Providing Incorrect 4473 Information
Legislator: Representative Geren
Position: Opposed
Impact: Creates double jeopardy for would-be firearms purchasers who provide incorrect information on the 4473 ATF form used to conduct federal background checks, which is already a federal crime.
87(R) HB 606 - Universal Background Checks
Legislator: Representative Goodwin
Position: Opposed
Impact: Institutes mandatory universal background checks for firearms transfers, increasing cost, burdening federal resources, and inconveniencing business owners and Texans.
87(R) HB 760 - Gun Show Background Check Mandate
Legislator: Representative Goodwin
Position: Opposed
Impact: Requires vendors to run federal background checks on firearms purchasers at gun shows, even if they have a Texas LTC., increasing cost for buyers and sellers.
87(R) HB 880 - Punishes Applicants for Providing Incorrect 4473 Information
Legislator: Representative Hinojosa
Position: Opposed
Impact: Creates double jeopardy for would-be firearms purchasers who provide incorrect information on the 4473 ATF form used to conduct federal background checks, which is already a federal crime.
87(R) HB 882 - Punishes Sellers for Selling to Persons Already Prohibited Under Federal Law
Legislator: Representative Hinojosa
Position: Opposed
Impact: Creates double jeopardy for would-be firearms sellers for selling to persons who are already prohibited from purchasing or possessing firearms under federal law.
87(R) HB 883 - Punishes Applicants for Providing Incorrect 4473 Information
Legislator: Representative Hinojosa
Position: Opposed
Impact: Creates double jeopardy for would-be firearms purchasers who provide incorrect information on the 4473 ATF form used to conduct federal background checks, which is already a federal crime. Establishes a reporting requirement for dealers who deny the sale.
87(R) HB 1039 - Establishes List of Valid Handgun Carry Licenses for Background Check Purposes
Legislator: Representative Goodwin
Position: Opposed
Impact: Establishes a public list of valid handgun carry license numbers, purportedly to permit dealers to examine this list in lieu of contacting the state government for background checks. While this method would be easier than the current process, it leaves license holders’ privacy vulnerable to data breach.
87(R) SB 162 - Punishes Applicants for Providing Incorrect 4473 Information
Legislator: Senator Blanco
Position: Opposed
Impact: Creates double jeopardy for would-be firearms purchasers who provide incorrect information on the 4473 ATF form used to conduct federal background checks, which is already a federal crime.
87(R) SB 163 - Universal Background Checks
Legislator: Senator Blanco
Position: Opposed
Impact: Institutes mandatory universal background checks for firearms transfers, increasing cost, burdening federal resources, and inconveniencing business owners and Texans.
Commercial Regulation, Taxes, & Licensing Fees
87(R) HB 236 - Minimizes Size of Gun Free Zone Signage
Legislator: Representative Bernal
Position: Opposed
Impact: Makes it easier for a Texas LTC holder to miss signage indicating that a business owner is anti-gun.
87(R) HB 524 - Eliminates Sales Tax for Firearm Safety Equipment
Legislator: Representative Rosenthal
Position: Support
Impact: Eliminates tax on firearm safety equipment, which includes gun lock boxes, gun safes, barrel locks, trigger locks, or other items “designed to ensure the safe handling or storage of a firearm.”
87(R) HB 825 - Reduces or Eliminates Certain Handgun Carry License Fees
Legislator: Representative Geren
Position: Support
Impact: Reduces or eliminates certain handgun carry license fees, e.g. when replacing a license within 60 days of issuance due to a change of address. We support this bill because we oppose licensing generally.
87(R) HB 883 - Defines and Exempts Intrastate Firearms, Accessories, and Ammunition from Federal Law
Legislator: Representative Krause
Position: Support
Impact: This bill defines firearms, accessories, and ammunition produced within the borders of Texas for the purpose of protecting the assertion of federal control over their sale and possession.
87(R) SB 60 - Tax Exemption for Firearm Safety Supplies & Educational Materials
Legislator: Senator Zaffirini
Position: Support
Impact: Removes sales and use taxes on firearm safety supplies and educational materials. We support this bill because it 1) reduces taxes; and 2) fosters firearms safety education.
87(R) SB 158 - Eliminates Carry License Fees for School Marshals
Legislator: Senator Perry
Position: Opposed
Impact: Waives the fee for school marshals when applying for duplicate, modified, or renewed handgun carry licenses. We oppose this bill because we oppose licensing in general, and because we oppose preferential treatment of government employees over other license holders.
87(R) SB 313 - Tax Exemption for Firearm Safety Equipment
Legislator: Senator Huffman
Position: Support
Impact: Removes sales and use taxes on firearm safety equipment, which includes equipment designed to ensure the safe handling and storage of firearms.
Gubernatorial & Governmental Power
87(R) HB 26 - Limitations on Gubernatorial Authority During Emergencies
Legislator: Representative Swanson
Position: Support
Impact: Prevents the governor from limiting or banning the sale, dispensing, transportation, and use of firearms and ammunition during declared disasters and states of emergency.
87(R) HB 112 - Limits on Local Enforcement of Federal Laws
Legislator: Representative Toth
Position: Support
Impact: Prohibits localities and their employees from enforcing or enabling the enforcement of any federal firearms, accessory, and ammunition laws passed after January 1, 2021. Violation of this law would be a Class A misdemeanor.
87(R) HB 238 - Regulation of Gun Use, Carry, Possession, and Industry
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Allows local governments to set their own gun use, carry, and possession regulations. Also permits local governments to regulate gun businesses.
87(R) HB 340 - Limitations on the Governor During States of Emergency
Legislator: Representative Cain
Position: Support
Impact: Prohibits the governor from controlling or banning the sale, transportation, transportation, and use of alcohol, ammunition, explosives, combustibles, and weapons during a declared state of emergency.
87(R) HB 127 - Ban on Carrying Long Guns During Emergencies
Legislator: Representative Ortega
Position: Opposed
Impact: Bans individuals from carrying long guns during disasters and states of emergency unless they are on their own property, have the consent of the property owner, or are directly en route to their vehicle or watercraft.
87(R) HB 336 - Limits Issuance of Grants to Localities to Limit Enforcement
Legislator: Representative Cain
Position: Support
Impact: Prohibits the provision of assistance to, and the acceptance of grants from the federal government as related to the execution of ERPOs (red flag laws). Makes it a felony to attempt to execute a red flag order.
87(R) HB 603 - Anti-Reciprocity Bill
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Dishonors the recognition of handgun carry permits issued by other states.
87(R) HB 629 - Limitations on Gubernatorial Authority During Emergencies
Legislator: Representative White
Position: Support
Impact: Prevents the governor from limiting or banning the sale, dispensing, transportation, storage, and use of alcoholic beverages, ammunition, explosives, combustibles, and weapons during declared disasters and states of emergency.
87(R) HB 635 - Limits Issuance of Grants to Localities to Limit Enforcement
Legislator: Representative Krause
Position: Support
Impact: Prevents the disbursement of state grants to localities that adopt rules, orders, ordinances, or policies requiring the enforcement of federal laws that regulate firearms, firearms accessories, and firearms ammunition.
87(R) HB 919 - Limits Enforcement of Federal Laws
Legislator: Representative Leman
Position: Support
Impact: Prohibits state and local entities from enforcing federal laws passed on or after September 1, 2021.
87(R) HB 957 - Prevents Enforcement of NFA Restrictions on Intrastate-Manufactured Suppressors
Legislator: Representative Oliverson
Position: Support
Impact: Prohibits state and local entities from enforcing NFA’s suppressor restrictions on intrastate manufactured suppressors.
87(R) HJR 40 - Constitutional Amendment Limiting Gubernatorial Authority
Legislator: Representative White
Position: Support
Impact: This amendment would prohibit the governor from restricting or banning the sale, dispensing, or transportation of alcoholic beverages, firearms, explosives, or combustibles, regardless of whether Texas is in a period of emergency due to a disaster.
87(R) SB 164 - Requires Notice of Prohibition to be Given to Defendants
Legislator: Senator Blanco
Position: Support
Impact: Requires the court to give adequate notice to criminal defendants in relation to their status as a prohibited person under federal and state law.
Item & Activity-Specific Ban Bills
87(R) HB 172 - Assault Weapons Ban
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Would unconstitutionally criminalize the possession and transfer of commonly owned semiautomatic firearms possessed by Texans for lawful purposes such as self-defense, hunting, and sport.
87(R) HB 178 - Magazine Capacity Limit
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Would unconstitutionally criminalize the possession or transfer of commonly owned “large-capacity” (actually, standard capacity) firearms magazines.
87(R) HB 208 - Bans Homebuilding of Firearms
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Criminalizes the right of Texans to build their own firearms.
87(R) HB 234 - Magazine Capacity Limit
Legislator: Representative Ortega
Position: Opposed
Impact: Would unconstitutionally criminalize the possession or transfer of commonly owned “large-capacity” (actually, standard capacity) firearms magazines.
87(R) HB 241 - Assault Weapons Ban
Legislator: Representative Ortega
Position: Opposed
Impact: Would unconstitutionally criminalize the possession and transfer of commonly owned semiautomatic firearms possessed by Texans for lawful purposes such as self-defense, hunting, and sport.
Prohibited Persons & Discriminatory Bills
87(R) HB 231 - Age-Based Weapons Bans
Legislator: Representative Ortega
Position: Opposed
Impact: Makes it a criminal offense to transfer assault weapons to persons over the age of 18 but under 21, and to loan a firearm to any individual under 18 without the written permission of a parent or guardian. We oppose this bill because we oppose age-based weapons bans.
87(R) HB 235 - Reduced Bar for Prohibiting Firearms Possession
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Reduces the standard for barring possession of firearms from a Class A misdemeanor to ANY misdemeanor related to “family violence”, which under Texas law can be charged even if it involves people a defendant does not live with.
87(R) HB 367 - “Hate Crime” Basis for Prohibiting Firearms Possession
Legislator: Representative Sherman, Sr.
Position: Opposed
Impact: Disables firearms possession if an individual is convicted for any of a number of crimes and the judge determines that it was a “hate crime.” We oppose this bill because the motivation for committing the crime should be irrelevant - if the crime was severe enough to disable an individual’s right to keep and bear arms, then there is no reason to have a law like this on the books.
87(R) HB 521 - Voluntary Surrender of Rights
Legislator: Representative Fierro
Position: Opposed
Impact: Allows people to voluntarily submit a waiver and surrender their right to acquire firearms, but permits them to revoke the waiver and have the right restored within 24 hours. This bill will have no impact on individual safety, but it will create an avenue for bad actors to obtain access to a currently nonexistent mental health database.
87(R) HB 1040 - Establishes Chemical Dependency Reporting Requirement for Firearms Prohibition
Legislator: Representative Goodwin
Position: Opposed
Impact: Requires the state to report to NICS the information of any person subject to a court-ordered rehabilitation for the purposes of disabling them from lawfully obtaining or possessing firearms. This law would require an individual to petition both the state and federal government separately for the restoration of their rights.
Right to Carry Bills
87(R) HB 29 - Provision of Temporary Firearms Storage at Government Buildings
Legislator: Representative Swanson
Position: Support
Impact: Provides access to temporary firearms storage in certain public buildings where firearms carry is prohibited. Although less than a repeal of the carry restriction itself, this bill is positive because it means that individuals do not have to leave their firearms in their vehicles or otherwise refrain from carrying while they have to engage in activities involving interaction with the government.
87(R) HB 55 - Permitting School Marshals to Carry Firearms
Legislator: Representative Swanson
Position: Opposed
Impact: Permits law enforcement to concealed carry handguns at public schools. We oppose this because staff should be allowed to carry as well.
87(R) HB 201 - Prevents Carry on College Campuses
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Removes Texans’ ability to lawfully carry on college campuses.
87(R) HB 213 - Limits Right to Carry
Legislator: Representative Bernthal
Position: Opposed
Impact: Makes it generally unlawful for Texans to carry a firearm (other than a firearm - yes, it doesn’t make sense) anywhere but on their property, in their vehicle, or on their boats.
87(R) HB 276 - Exceptional Carry Rights for Certain Retired Government Employees
Legislator: Representative Murr
Position: Opposed
Impact: Allows retired police and judges to carry firearms in places where other carry license holders would be in violation of the law. We oppose this bill because it grants exceptional treatment to private citizens based on their former employment.
87(R) HB 299 - Constitutional Carry
Legislator: Representative Springer
Position: Support
Impact: Removes the requirement for individuals to obtain a carry permit.
87(R) HB 304 - Decreased Carry Restrictions
Legislator: Representative Springer
Position: Support
Impact: Reduces restrictions on concealed carry license holders, allowing them to carry in more public places.
87(R) HB 530 - Carry Ban Exception for Election Judges at Polling Places
Legislator: Representative Patterson
Position: Opposed
Impact: Gives preferential treatment to election judges by allowing them to carry firearms at polling places while other licensed carriers are prohibited. We oppose this bill because nobody should be prohibited from exercising one right in exchange for exercising another.
87(R) HB 781 - Allows Public Junior College School Marshalls to Concealed Carry
Legislator: Representative Sanford
Position: Opposed
Impact: Permits law enforcement to concealed carry handguns at public junior colleges. We oppose this because students and staff should be allowed to carry as well.
87(R) HB 791 - Limits Carry During Public Demonstrations
Legislator: Representative Goodwin
Position: Opposed
Impact: Makes it illegal to “display” a firearm within 500 feet of a public demonstration, inhibiting the ability of Texans to exercise their right to keep and bear arms while exercising their right to peaceably assemble and protest.
87(R) HB 799 - Bans Carrying While Intoxicated
Legislator: Representative Rosenthal
Position: Opposed
Impact: Punishes people for carrying firearms with a BAC of 0.08 or greater while providing an exemption for law enforcement officers. We oppose this legislation because being intoxicated should not prevent anyone from exercising their right o self-defense and because IF BAC is relevant to determining whether an individual is capable of using reasoned judgment, government employees should be subject to prosecution as well.
87(R) HB 821 - Reduces Bar for Revocation of Handgun Carry Licenses
Legislator: Representative White
Position: Opposed
Impact: Makes it easier to revoke handgun carry licenses by removing revocation exceptions and expanding grounds for revocation.
87(R) HB 918 - Allows Some Adults Under 21 to Obtain Handgun Carry Licenses
Legislator: Representative Leman
Position: Support
Impact: Permits adults under 21 to obtain a handgun carry license if they are protected by a protective order.
87(R) SB 311 - Prohibits Open Carry During Public Demonstrations
Legislator: Senator Eckhardt
Position: Opposed
Impact: Criminalizes the “display” of a firearm at public demonstrations without defining the meaning of display, effectively criminalizing the open carry of firearms altogether with the exception of law enforcement, military, and security personnel carrying out their official duties.
Search & Seizure
87(R) HB 164 - Red Flag Law
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Implements ERPOs, which involve dangerous and unconstitutional seizures based solely on testimony and which do not provide the person subject to the seizure to defend themself in court.
87(R) HB 395 - Red Flag Law
Legislator: Representative Moody
Position: Opposed
Impact: Implements ERPOs, which involve dangerous and unconstitutional seizures based solely on testimony and which do not provide the person subject to the seizure to defend themself in court.
87(R) SB 84 - Red Flag Law
Legislator: Senator Miles
Position: Opposed
Impact: Implements ERPOs, which involve dangerous and unconstitutional seizures based solely on testimony and which do not provide the person subject to the seizure to defend themself in court.
87(R) SB 110 - Red Flag Law
Legislator: Senator West
Position: Opposed
Impact: Implements ERPOs, which involve dangerous and unconstitutional seizures based solely on testimony and which do not provide the person subject to the seizure to defend themself in court.
Storage Bills
87(R) HB 185 - Weapons Storage Limit
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Would criminalize the storage of a loaded firearm anywhere but in a secure gun storage device.
87(R) HB 693 - Weapons Storage Limit
Legislator: Representative Moody
Position: Opposed
Impact: Paradoxically punishes permitting persons under 18 access to a firearm while also allowing the parent to grant permission for possession for lawful purposes, essentially rendering it moot.
Use, Use of Force & Self-Defense
87(R) HB 95 - Limits Police Use of Force
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Support
Impact: Police will only be permitted to shoot at a vehicle when they or another person are at risk of being run over by the vehicle. We support constraints on governmental use of force that positively impact public safety.
87(R) HB 196 - Limits Self-Defense Options
Legislator: Representative Meza
Position: Opposed
Impact: Eliminates Texans’ ability to stand their ground and engage in self-defense while also limiting the ability to do the same on their own property.
87(R) HB 670 - Limits Discharge of Firearms Without Exception
Legislator: Representative Martinez
Position: Opposed
Impact: Criminalizes the reckless discharge of a firearm, but provides no exception for discharging a firearm on privately owned property.
87(R) SB 72 - Limits Police Use of Force
Legislator: Senator Miles
Position: Support
Impact: Police will only be permitted to shoot at a vehicle when they or another person are at risk of being run over by the vehicle.
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