When the State Fair of Texas kicks off on September 27th, there's be one big change compared to previous years: lawful concealed carry will be prohibited in the fairgrounds complex. 

Fair officials announced the change last week, prompted by a shooting at last year's fair that left three people injured. But Republican lawmakers are urging the fair's board to rescind their gun ban and allow lawful gun owners to protect themselves and their families; not just on the midway and in the agricultural buildings, but on their way to and from their vehicles. 

As of noon on Monday, 71 state lawmakers and Republican House nominees signed a petition saying the new policy makes the fair “less safe” because, “Gun free zones are magnets for crime because they present less of a threat to those who seek to do evil.” 

“The State Fair of Texas claims to be a ‘celebration of all things Texas,’ yet this new policy is anything but a celebration of Texas,” the petition reads.

The letter also warned that if the gun ban at the State Fair goes into effect, they would consider taking legislative action.

“Your actions raise questions about the need for legislation next session to further protect these rights on lands managed by the public,” the lawmakers wrote.

I get that the State Fair of Texas wants the hundreds of thousands of visitors to have a safe and enjoyable experience. But depriving responsible gun owners of their ability to protect themselves and their families isn't the way to go about it. 

The State Fair of Oklahoma, for instance, has had its own prohibition in place for several years, but that didn't stop a teen from allegedly pulling a gun and pulling the trigger last year. 

During the last weekend of the 2023 Oklahoma State Fair, a 17-year-old pulled out a gun and shot someone at the Bennett Event Center in the middle of the fairgrounds. Fair officials said the minor who brought in the gun never went through a gate that would have detected the weapon, so they're putting more patrols outside and will have a curfew for anyone under 18.

"We waited for the after-action report that we get from Oklahoma City police, and most of the problems that we and anyone in the fair business has seen has been with juveniles," Scott Munz, with the Oklahoma City Fairgrounds, said. "It's an unfortunate situation, but that's the norm."

If teens who aren't old enough to lawfully carry a firearm are creating most of the problems, then why punish lawful adult gun owners and put their safety at risk? 

It doesn't matter how many gates have increased security or magnetometers screening patrons. These fairgrounds are huge expanses, and it's not particularly difficult for someone to sneak prohibited items inside if they're committed to doing so. Instead of increasing safety, declaring these places off-limits to legal carry just puts fairgoers at risk of harm by individuals who don't give a damn about the policy... or the lives of their fellow fair-goers. 

Oklahoma lawmakers have also threatened to undo the fair's "gun-free zones" via legislation, but so far haven't taken that step. We'll have to wait and see if Texas legislators have any more success in convincing the fair's board to rescind its own "gun-free" policy, but if they keep the prohibition in place I hope that a legislative repeal will be on the table when lawmakers return to Austin for the 2025 session in early January.