Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has initiated legal action to contest a newly imposed firearms ban at the State Fair of Texas, one of the state’s major annual festivities.
The Fair organizers announced the firearm prohibition earlier this month, following a shooting incident last year on the expansive 277-acre fairgrounds located in the heart of Dallas. This decision has sparked immediate backlash from Republican state lawmakers, who have recently bolstered gun rights. Paxton, a Republican, vowed legal action should the ban remain in effect.
Paxton contends that Texas law permits gun owners to carry firearms on properties owned or leased by governmental entities unless explicitly forbidden by law. Given that Fair Park is city-owned and managed by the State Fair of Texas under a contract with Dallas, Paxton deems the ban an unlawful constraint on gun owners’ rights. Texas law permits individuals to carry handguns without the need for a license, background check, or training.
“Neither the City of Dallas nor the State Fair of Texas can infringe on Texans’ right to self-defense,” stated Paxton.
The Dallas city government issued a statement acknowledging the lawsuit filed by the State of Texas, refuting the allegations against the City and its interim city manager. The statement clarified, “The City was not involved in the State Fair of Texas’ announcement of its enhanced weapons policy. The State Fair of Texas is a private event operated and controlled by a private, non-profit entity and not the City.”
State fair officials have yet to respond to email inquiries for comment.
The State Fair, which will re-open in September and extend for nearly a month, boasts a rich history dating back to 1886. Alongside its array of midway games, car shows, and the Texas Star Ferris Wheel—one of the tallest in the nation—the fairgrounds also host the annual college football rivalry between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma.
