SB 2556

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
(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
(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
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
(1)  the person carries a firearm on or within a
publicly owned fairground or similar public facility, other than an
(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
(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
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.