TSRA Legislative Update: State and Federal
Texas and the Texas State Rifle Association are leading the charge for preserving the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens at both the state and federal levels.
The 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature ends on June 2. While just one of TSRA’s priority bills is headed to Governor Abbott for his signature so far, several others have been scheduled for debate and final votes over Memorial Day weekend. One key TSRA priority bill has yet to be placed on a calendar for a final vote in the House. Next Tuesday is the deadline for the House to act on Senate bills. Our TSRA Legislative Team is hard at work in Austin pushing all these measures.
The TSRA PAC Legislative Team made phone calls on behalf of our organization today to personally urge Senate Bill 1065 by Senator Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) to be scheduled for action in the House. The bill advanced out of the Texas House Committee on State Affairs last Friday, but it has not yet been placed on a House calendar. This important measure prevents “gun-free zones” from being created on public property and was filed in response to the Texas State Fair’s misguided decision to ban License To Carry holders from the event last year. More than 70 state lawmakers signed onto a letter last fall urging the Texas State Fair to rescind their policy, and its board of directors thumbed their nose at this request. The Texas Legislature needs to take final action on SB 1065 to reverse this ban!
The 89th Regular Session of the Texas Legislature ends on June 2. While just one of TSRA’s priority bills is headed to Governor Abbott for his signature so far, several others have been scheduled for debate and final votes over Memorial Day weekend. One key TSRA priority bill has yet to be placed on a calendar for a final vote in the House. Next Tuesday is the deadline for the House to act on Senate bills. Our TSRA Legislative Team is hard at work in Austin pushing all these measures.
The TSRA PAC Legislative Team made phone calls on behalf of our organization today to personally urge Senate Bill 1065 by Senator Bob Hall (R-Edgewood) to be scheduled for action in the House. The bill advanced out of the Texas House Committee on State Affairs last Friday, but it has not yet been placed on a House calendar. This important measure prevents “gun-free zones” from being created on public property and was filed in response to the Texas State Fair’s misguided decision to ban License To Carry holders from the event last year. More than 70 state lawmakers signed onto a letter last fall urging the Texas State Fair to rescind their policy, and its board of directors thumbed their nose at this request. The Texas Legislature needs to take final action on SB 1065 to reverse this ban!
Several other TSRA priority bills have been scheduled for action in the Texas Legislature over the weekend:
Senate Bill 1362, the anti-red flag act by Senator Bryan Hughes (R-Mineola) and Rep. Cole Hefner (R-Mount Pleasant), prevents all Texas governmental entities from recognizing or enforcing red flag orders unless explicitly authorized by Texas law. The bill would stop Texas entities from accepting federal funds to enforce red flag laws in Texas. The Texas Senate approved SB 1362 on March 27th with a 20-11 vote. Following TSRA testimony by TSRA Past President Wayne Nunn, the bill was then reported out of the House Criminal Jurisprudence Committee on May 13, 2025. It has hit the next step in House Calendars and now has been scheduled for debate by the full Texas House tomorrow. “This bill is very important in protecting Texans’ rights to due process, and to avoid having their rights trampled on by frivolous accusations,” said TSRA Executive Director John Poole.
Senate Bill 1596 by Sen. Brent Hagenbuch (R-Denton) & Rep. Richard Hayes (R-Denton) repeals the state ban on the manufacture, possession, and sale of short-barreled firearms (note that these firearms continue to be tightly regulated at the state level.) Maneuverability while hunting and increased ability to manipulate guns in tight spaces for self-defense are just two reasons law-abiding citizens are interested in legal ownership of SBRs and SBSs. While the push continues at the federal level to remove these items from the National Firearms Act, Texas can take care of business in this policy area this session.
House Bill 1403 by Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine) & Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) prohibits state and child placement agencies from requiring foster parents to disclose specific types of firearms and to report any newly-acquired or relinquished guns in the household. TSRA does not oppose foster parents being asked to disclose whether they own firearms, but we do object to them being required to provide specific descriptions or a registry of lawfully-owned guns to a state or child placement agency. Ensuring foster parents are not required to provide a registry of firearms present in their home could reduce barriers to fostering for some families.
House Bill 1403 by Rep. Cody Harris (R-Palestine) & Sen. Mayes Middleton (R-Galveston) prohibits state and child placement agencies from requiring foster parents to disclose specific types of firearms and to report any newly-acquired or relinquished guns in the household. TSRA does not oppose foster parents being asked to disclose whether they own firearms, but we do object to them being required to provide specific descriptions or a registry of lawfully-owned guns to a state or child placement agency. Ensuring foster parents are not required to provide a registry of firearms present in their home could reduce barriers to fostering for some families.
TSRA Members:
Please contact your State Representatives and urge them to SUPPORT SB 1065, SB 1362 & SB 1596!
Also contact your State Senators and ask them to vote FOR HB 1403.
TSRA Joins Open Letter to Reform the National Firearms Act
Last Saturday, TSRA joined 30+ firearm associations including Women for Gun Rights and Gun Owners of Maine to sign an Open Letter to Reform the National Firearms Act. As some of you may know, TSRA Executive Director John Poole took his dedication to the Texas State Rifle Association to a high level in 2024, when he relocated away from his family in Maine to return to Texas and lead our association.
The Open Letter, addressed to the Honorable Jodey C. Arrington (Chairman, House Committee on Budget, U.S. House of Representatives), and the Honorable Virginia Foxx (Chairman, House Committee on Rules, U.S. House of Representatives), called for “immediate inclusion of portions of the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404) and the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act (H.R. 2395) in the forthcoming reconciliation bill.”
The Hearing Protection Act by Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA-06) is intended to remove firearm suppressors from the NFA’s list. “The current NFA requirements – including a $200 tax stamp for both manufacture and transfer of the devices, extensive paperwork, and excessive waiting times – serve no meaningful public safety purpose,” said the Open Letter. “These federal bills will align with Texas’ already current suppressor law and will continue to align with Texas’ efforts on SBRs/SBSs under SB 1596,” said Poole. “As shown in the 2021 Texas Suppressor Freedom Act, Texas is again shown to be a leader.”
The Open Letter, addressed to the Honorable Jodey C. Arrington (Chairman, House Committee on Budget, U.S. House of Representatives), and the Honorable Virginia Foxx (Chairman, House Committee on Rules, U.S. House of Representatives), called for “immediate inclusion of portions of the Hearing Protection Act (H.R. 404) and the Stop Harassing Owners of Rifles Today (SHORT) Act (H.R. 2395) in the forthcoming reconciliation bill.”
The Hearing Protection Act by Rep. Ben Cline (R-VA-06) is intended to remove firearm suppressors from the NFA’s list. “The current NFA requirements – including a $200 tax stamp for both manufacture and transfer of the devices, extensive paperwork, and excessive waiting times – serve no meaningful public safety purpose,” said the Open Letter. “These federal bills will align with Texas’ already current suppressor law and will continue to align with Texas’ efforts on SBRs/SBSs under SB 1596,” said Poole. “As shown in the 2021 Texas Suppressor Freedom Act, Texas is again shown to be a leader.”
Texas Continues to Lead Reciprocity Measures
Texas is leading the charge in this current legislative season on reciprocity, though many other states have already added it to their state law in the past. Senate Bill 706 by Sen. Charles Schwertner (R-Georgetown) is a TSRA-backed bill requires Texas to recognize all valid-out-of-state licenses. This legislation calls for the recognition of License-to-Carry, and 20 other states already follow a universal recognition law. Passage of SB 706 would add Texas to that list. The bill now moves to Governor Abbott for his signature!
Following the Open Letter to Reform the National Firearms Act, Texas joined the National Right to Carry Reciprocity charge as well. Attorney General Ken Paxton signed a multi-state letter addressed to Speaker of the House Mike Johnson and Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies on Wednesday. The letter, signed by 23 other states and led by Oklahoma and West Virginia, calls out naysayers of the law for their misinterpretation of the language.
“News reports and commentary sometimes misconstrue what H.R. 38 does and whom it should benefit,” said the letter. “We therefore believe it is helpful to reiterate certain facts about the legislation.” The letter goes on to detail:
1. H.R. 38 is aimed at the law-abiding gun owner and is intended to exclude anyone who does not obey the law. This included anyone who is “prohibited by Federal law from possessing, transporting, shipping, or receiving a firearm.”
2. The legislation monitors for domestic violence, domestic violence restraining orders, pending felony indictments, citizenship, and unlawful use of controlled substances. Those under these categories are excluded from H.R. 38.
3. If passed, the law would also exclude those who have serious mental health issues that have been established by court commitments or adjudications.
The bill would not change who is allowed to carry a firearm, and if passed, would not let criminals take advantage of it. It would simply allow individuals who are already legally able to carry a firearm in their home state, to be able to carry it in another state. It would not change the requirements for a person to be able to purchase or carry a firearm, so a criminal in one state would not be able to wear a law-abiding disguise in another state. "Criminals, in our experience, do not wait for permission to carry guns," said the letter. "H.R. 38 is not for them. It is for honest and law-abiding citizens who deserve to have the means to protect themselves."
We will keep you up to date as things progress with the Legislative Session.
To send a contribution to the TSRA PAC, please visit our website today!
PAC Contribution
To send a contribution to the TSRA PAC, please visit our website today!
PAC Contribution
Story by Marissa Brinkman
May 23, 2025