Texas Democrats Prefile 16 Gun-Control Bills, Gun Sales Spike

Texas Democrats have filed 16 gun-control bills in the days following their takeover of the governorship and state House, a pace Ammoland News says signals an active legislative session ahead for the state's gun owners.

Snapshot

Ammoland News reports that Texas Democrats, newly in control of the governorship and state House (Republicans retain the state Senate), have prefiled 16 gun-related bills touching semiautomatic rifles, private transfers, and ownership by adults under 21. CCRKBA Executive Director Andrew Gottlieb is tracking the filings, and the group's founder, Alan Gottlieb, says gun sales are already spiking in response.

Key points

• Volume of bills: Rep. Joe Moody has filed five bills, Rep. Suleman Lalani six, with additional single or paired bills from Reps. Rafael Anchia, Pooja Sethi, Ron Reynolds, and Erin Gamez, plus Sen. Judith Zaffirini's SB80 targeting "assault weapons."
• Common themes: Several bills target transfers of semiautomatic rifles and magazines to people under 21 or to prohibited persons, with new criminal penalties attached.
• Background checks: HB 613 would require a national instant background check for private firearm transfers, creating a new criminal offense for noncompliance.
• Sales surge claim: Alan Gottlieb told Ammoland a Washington state retailer reported sales up 400% in a week, with supplies of guns, suppressors, ammunition and reloading components running low.
• National context: NRA-ILA's John Commerford told the Washington Times that gun owners buy when politicians signal intent to restrict rights, while Minnesota's incoming governor reportedly plans her own "assault weapons" push.

Quick take

Ammoland frames this as an early test case for what Democrat-controlled legislatures intend nationwide, with the state Senate's Republican majority the main check for now. Gun owners watching Texas will want to track committee assignments and whether any of these 16 bills gain real traction once the legislature convenes in January.

Read the full story: ammoland.com