Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has taken legal action to challenge a firearms ban at the State Fair of Texas. On September 25, 2024, Paxton filed a petition for writ of mandamus in the Texas Supreme Court. This move aims to prevent the City of Dallas from aiding the State Fair in enforcing a ban that would prohibit licensed Texans from carrying firearms.
In August 2024, Paxton issued a notice letter to both the City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas, warning them that their firearms ban was unlawful. He subsequently filed a lawsuit to stop the ban from being implemented. However, a district court denied the Office of the Attorney General’s motion for a temporary injunction against the ban. This led to an appeal to the 15th Court of Appeals, which also denied relief pending appeal. In response, Paxton immediately brought the matter before the Texas Supreme Court.
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 intention to ban individuals with license-to-carry permits from bringing firearms into Fair Park. According to state law, licensed gun owners are permitted to carry in places owned or leased by governmental entities unless otherwise prohibited by law.
Attorney General Paxton stated, “The City of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas cannot nullify state law by banning firearms. And a government entity cannot contract away our rights by offloading this policy to a private entity. Texans who are licensed to carry have a right to defend themselves, and I will fight every step of the way to protect it.”
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