Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has filed an appeal with the 15th Court of Appeals, seeking to prevent the City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas from enforcing a firearms ban on government-owned property. The appeal aims to address what Paxton describes as a violation of Texas law.
The City of Dallas owns Fair Park and leases it to the State Fair of Texas, a nonprofit organization responsible for managing the annual event. Earlier this year, the State Fair announced its decision to ban individuals with license-to-carry permits from bringing firearms onto the premises. According to state law, licensed gun owners are permitted to carry in places owned or leased by governmental entities unless explicitly prohibited by law.
In August 2024, Attorney General Paxton issued a notice letter to both the City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas, warning that their proposed firearms ban was unlawful. Subsequently, he initiated legal action to prevent the ban from taking effect. A district court denied his office's motion for a temporary injunction against the ban, leading Paxton to file an appeal with the 15th Court of Appeals.
Attorney General Paxton is now requesting emergency temporary relief from the court to stop both entities from enforcing the ban against handgun-license holders on fairgrounds.
"The City of Dallas and the Texas State Fair are not above the law, and we are seeking emergency relief to uphold Texans’ Constitutionally-protected Second Amendment rights," stated Attorney General Paxton. "The State Fair’s policy—by which law-abiding citizens could not defend themselves—does not make the environment safer; it merely gives an advantage to criminals looking for victims."
To read more about this filing, click here.