SB2556 - Relating to regulating the carrying of firearms on or within publicly owned fairgrounds and similar public facilities during certain events; creating a criminal offense.

  89R16088 JSC-D     By: West S.B. No. 2556       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   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   firearm:                 (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   or county.           (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   Code.          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   if:                 (1)     the person carries a firearm on or within a   publicly owned fairground or similar public facility, other than an   amusement park;                 (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   facility.          (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   Class A misdemeanor.          SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.