Texas Democrats Prefile 16 Gun Bills on Age Limits, Sales, Bans

Texas Democrats flipped the governorship and state House last week, and they've already prefiled 16 gun-control bills ahead of the January legislative session, according to Ammoland News.

Snapshot

With Republicans still holding the state Senate, Democrat lawmakers including Rep. Joe Moody and Rep. Suleman Lalani have filed measures touching on who can buy a semiautomatic rifle, how private sales get processed, and what happens to guns owned by people already barred from having them. The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms says it's watching the session closely as a potential flashpoint for Second Amendment fights nationwide.

Key points

• Age restrictions: HB 173 would make it a state jail felony to transfer a detachable-magazine semiauto rifle over .22 caliber to anyone under 21, with carve-outs for military and law enforcement; HB 606 and HB 610 similarly target firearm transfers and possession by those under 21.
• Private sales targeted: HB 613 would require a NICS background check on private firearm transfers, while HB 618 would restrict transferring magazines to people already prohibited from owning the matching firearm type.
• Dealer reporting: HB 659 would require licensed dealers to report certain multiple-firearm or multiple-magazine sales to law enforcement, creating a new criminal offense for noncompliance.
• Senate companion bill: Sen. Judith Zaffirini's SB80 would prohibit the transfer, purchase, and possession of so-called assault weapons, creating criminal offenses tied to the ban.
• Sales spike reported: Second Amendment Foundation founder Alan Gottlieb told Ammoland a Washington state retailer saw sales jump 400% in a week, with guns, suppressors, and ammo supplies "drying up."

Quick take

Sixteen bills filed within a week of an election is a statement of intent, not a fluke. Texas gun owners should track these bill numbers closely once the session opens in January, since several target transfers and magazine sales in ways that could reshape everyday purchases.

Read the full story: ammoland.com