State Fair gun rule stands: Texas Supreme Court denies Paxton's appeal
DALLAS — The Texas Supreme Court ruled in favor of the State Fair of Texas' gun rule Thursday, denying the Attorney General's appeal.
Judge Jimmy Blalock wrote in his opinion that Attorney General Ken Paxton's motion for emergency relief against the Fair's gun rule did not actually take a position on whether a private entity, like the State Fair of Texas, can prohibit patrons from carrying guns.
Blalock said that question was not addressed in Paxton's emergency filings and remains to be answered.
"This Court cannot possibly order the State Fair to allow handguns to be carried at this year's Fair when the party seeking that relief does not even argue that Texas law obligates the Fair to do so," wrote Blalock.
Paxton vs the State Fair of Texas
Paxton's office filed a lawsuit against the State Fair of Texas and the city of Dallas late last month over the fair's policy prohibiting most visitors from carrying guns or other weapons. The lawsuit claimed the city and the fair are violating state law by prohibiting most people from bringing firearms onto public property.
The dispute boiled down to whether the fair, as a private entity leasing public land, is subject to the same legal restrictions around prohibiting guns as the city or another public entity.
Judge Emily G. Tobolowsky ruled in favor of the City of Dallas and the State Fair on Thursday. Paxton filed an expedited appeal later that day. He filed a second appeal on Monday.
An appeals court denied Paxton's attempts to block a gun rule at the Fair on Tuesday, which he appealed to the Texas Supreme Court.
The Court said it reviewed the motion and the briefing filed by both the state and fair and "denied the State's request for temporary relief and the State's alternative request for an administrative stay."
Fair Safety
The gun rule isn't the only safety change the State Fair made for 2024. Security has other changes as you enter the fairgrounds.
Security cameras are part of a network of surveillance connected to the State Fair Command Center.
An average of 100,000 people a day will visit the state fair for the next 24-day run.
The Fair's safety team will also include 200 retired police officers and private security personnel.
The State Fair of Texas is also cracking down on what items people will be allowed to carry into Fair Park this year.
- No bags or soft-shell coolers larger than 9" x 10" x 12"
- No hard-sided coolers
- No loose ice. If you are bringing an item that needs to remain chilled, please use ice packs or ice contained in a bag
- No knives with a blade over 5.5"
Before attending the fair, fairgoers are encouraged to visit BigTex.com for specific guidelines.