Tracking proposed changes to Texas gun law

Why this site exists

Every legislative session, lawmakers file thousands of bills, and a meaningful number of them would change who can own, carry, buy, sell, or use a firearm in Texas. The official record of those bills is public, but it is written for lawyers and legislators. Headlines, meanwhile, often describe a bill by its politics rather than by its text.

This site sits between the two. Each post takes a bill or a development at the Capitol and answers the questions most people actually have: what would this change, who would it affect, where does it stand, and what has to happen before it becomes law.

What we cover

• Bills filed in the Texas House and Senate that touch firearms — carry, purchase and transfer, where weapons are allowed, licensing, storage, preemption of local rules, and related criminal penalties.
• Movement on those bills — hearings, committee votes, amendments, floor votes, and action by the governor.
• Background explainers on current law and on how the Legislature works, so the changes make sense in context.

We focus on state legislation. Federal law, court rulings, and local ordinances come up when they bear directly on a Texas bill, but they are not the main subject.

How to read a post

A bill being filed is not the same as a bill becoming law — most filed bills never receive a hearing. We use the same words for the same stages every time, so you can tell at a glance how far a proposal has gone.

Filed

A legislator has introduced the bill and it has a number (HB for House bills, SB for Senate bills). Nothing has been decided yet.

In committee

The bill has been referred to a committee. It may get a public hearing, be amended, be voted out — or never be taken up at all.

Passed one chamber

The full House or Senate has approved the bill. It still has to go through the other chamber.

Sent to the governor

Both chambers have approved the same text. The governor can sign it, veto it, or let it become law without a signature.

Signed

The bill is law. We note the date it takes effect, which is often later than the date it was signed.

Dead

The bill missed a deadline, was voted down, or was vetoed. Its ideas can return in another bill or a later session.

New to the process? Start with the explainers, or browse by bill number and subject on the topics page.

The legislative calendar

The Texas Legislature meets in regular session for up to 140 days, starting in January of odd-numbered years. Bills can be filed ahead of time, beginning in the November before a session. Between regular sessions, the governor can call special sessions of up to 30 days on subjects the governor chooses.

That rhythm shapes this site. Expect frequent posts while the Legislature is meeting, and slower, more explanatory coverage in between — what passed, when it takes effect, and what is likely to come back.

Where the information comes from

• Primary sources first. Bill text, analyses, vote records, and status come from the Legislature’s own records, published at Texas Legislature Online. Posts link to the bill there whenever possible so you can read it yourself.
• Text over talking points. We describe what a bill says, quote the operative language when it matters, and say so plainly when the wording is ambiguous.
• Dates on everything. Bills change. Each post shows when it was published, and a post about a bill reflects its text and status as of that date.

Corrections and updates

When we get something wrong, we fix the post and say what changed. When a bill moves after a post is published, we either update the post with a dated note or write a follow-up and link the two. If you spot an error, leave a comment on the post — it is the fastest way to reach us.

Comments

Every post is open for discussion, and disagreement is welcome. Comments are reviewed before they appear, so there may be a delay. Your email address is optional and is never displayed.

We will not publish comments that:

• threaten, harass, or attack a person rather than an argument;
• encourage or describe breaking the law;
• post private information about anyone;
• are spam, advertising, or unrelated to the post.

Not legal advice

Nothing on this site is legal advice. A proposed bill is not the law, summaries leave out detail, and laws change. Before relying on anything you read here — especially about what you may carry, where, or how — read the statute itself or talk to a Texas attorney.

Follow along

New posts are available by RSS. You can also search for a bill number or keyword, or go back to the latest posts.