Lawmakers: Fair Park Gun Ban is ‘Anything But a Celebration of Texas’
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A shooting at the State Fair of Texas last year prompted a ban on concealed firearms at the fairgrounds, but this year Texas legislators are pushing back against the policy.
Seventy Texas lawmakers signed a letter saying that banning guns makes the South Dallas fairgrounds less safe for visitors. Before the ban, licensed gun owners could bring a weapon to the fair if it was concealed. The State Fair of Texas kicks off Sept. 27 and runs through Oct. 20.
Three individuals were injured during a 2023 shooting at the State Fair of Texas. The shooter — who opened fire in a crowded food court — told police he was defending his family, NBC DFW reported at the time. The shooter reportedly did not have a valid license to carry a weapon.
Lawmakers Push Back on State Fair Gun Ban
Dozens of Texas lawmakers urged the State Fair of Texas board of directors in a letter Monday to rescind the ban on concealed weapons, the Dallas Morning News reported the following day. The Texas Tribune also covered the story.
“Gun-free zones are magnets for crime because they present less of a threat to those who seek to do evil,” the letter states. “Recent tragedies have demonstrated the sad reality that you can die while waiting on law enforcement to save your life.”
Among the Republican representatives who signed the letter asking the fair to reconsider the rule are Reps. Giovanni Capriglione of Southlake, Craig Goldman of Fort Worth, Justin Holland of Rockwall, Jeff Leach of Allen, Jared Patterson of Frisco, and Matt Shaheen of Plano.
Other Texas lawmakers who signed the letter include state Sen. Kelly Hancock and former Uvalde mayor Don McLaughlin, who resigned from that post to run for the Texas House, according to the Dallas Morning News article.
“The State Fair of Texas claims to be a ‘celebration of all things Texas,’ the letter reads. “Yet this new policy is anything but a celebration of Texas.”
Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined the fight Wednesday, saying the gun policy violates Texas law. The AG is threatening to sue Dallas, the Dallas Morning News reported.
Fair Park Stands Firm
Fair officials said security efforts include more than 200 officers patrolling the fairgrounds while the gates are open.
Karissa Condoianis, a spokeswoman for Fair Park, noted that the State Fair is a private, not-for-profit organization that leases property from the City of Dallas for the event. It is not a government entity.
Condoianis said that the fair’s volunteer board of directors made the decision to change the weapon policy this year, according to the Dallas Morning News.
In previous years, only individuals with a valid concealed handgun license were permitted to bring their weapons onto the fairgrounds, provided the gun remained concealed. The change for this year was announced last week.
The State Fair of Texas has long supported the rights of responsible gun-owning Texans, which is why licensed gun holders could continue to carry at the event even after many other public events prohibited it, Condoianis said in the statement.
DMN reported that this year’s decision came after consulting security partners and reviewing policies of similar events in Texas, according to the statement.
“The Fair strongly believes that this is the right decision moving forward to ensure a safe environment and family-friendly atmosphere,” the statement reads.
