Sec. 229.001. FIREARMS; AIR GUNS; KNIVES; EXPLOSIVES. (a) Notwithstanding any other law, including Section 43.002 of this code and Chapter 251, Agriculture Code, a municipality may not adopt regulations relating to:

(1) the transfer, possession, wearing, carrying, ownership, storage, transportation, licensing, or registration of firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories;

(2) commerce in firearms, air guns, knives, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories; or

(3) the discharge of a firearm or air gun at a sport shooting range.

(a-1) An ordinance, resolution, rule, or policy adopted or enforced by a municipality, or an official action, including in any legislative, police power, or proprietary capacity, taken by an employee or agent of a municipality in violation of this section is void.

(b) Subsection (a) does not affect the authority a municipality has under another law to:

(1) require residents or public employees to be armed for personal or national defense, law enforcement, or another lawful purpose;

(2) regulate the discharge of firearms or air guns within the limits of the municipality, other than at a sport shooting range;

(3) except as provided by Subsection (b-1), adopt or enforce a generally applicable zoning ordinance, land use regulation, fire code, or business ordinance;

(4) regulate the use of firearms, air guns, or knives in the case of an insurrection, riot, or natural disaster if the municipality finds the regulations necessary to protect public health and safety;

(5) regulate the storage or transportation of explosives to protect public health and safety, except that 25 pounds or less of black powder for each private residence and 50 pounds or less of black powder for each retail dealer are not subject to regulation;

(6) regulate the carrying of a firearm or air gun by a person other than a person licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, at a:

(A) public park;

(B) public meeting of a municipality, county, or other governmental body;

(C) political rally, parade, or official political meeting; or

(D) nonfirearms-related school, college, or professional athletic event;

(7) regulate the carrying of a firearm by a person licensed to carry a handgun under Subchapter H, Chapter 411, Government Code, in accordance with Section 411.209, Government Code;

(8) regulate the hours of operation of a sport shooting range, except that the hours of operation may not be more limited than the least limited hours of operation of any other business in the municipality other than a business permitted or licensed to sell or serve alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption;

(9) regulate the carrying of an air gun by a minor on:

(A) public property; or

(B) private property without consent of the property owner; or

(10) except as provided by Subsection (d-1), regulate or prohibit an employee's carrying or possession of a firearm, firearm accessory, or ammunition in the course of the employee's official duties.

(b-1) The exception provided by Subsection (b)(3) does not apply if the ordinance or regulation is designed or enforced to effectively restrict or prohibit the manufacture, sale, purchase, transfer, or display of firearms, firearm accessories, or ammunition that is otherwise lawful in this state.

(c) The exception provided by Subsection (b)(6) does not apply if the firearm or air gun is in or is carried to or from an area designated for use in a lawful hunting, fishing, or other sporting event and the firearm or air gun is of the type commonly used in the activity.

(d) The exception provided by Subsection (b)(4) does not authorize the seizure or confiscation of any firearm, air gun, knife, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories from an individual who is lawfully carrying or possessing the firearm, air gun, knife, ammunition, or firearm or air gun supplies or accessories.

(d-1) The exception provided by Subsection (b)(10) does not authorize a municipality to regulate an employee's carrying or possession of a firearm in violation of Subchapter G, Chapter 52, Labor Code.

(e) In this section:

(1) "Air gun" means any gun that discharges a pellet, BB, or paintball by means of compressed air, gas propellant, or a spring.

(2) "Ammunition" means fixed cartridge ammunition, shotgun shells, individual components of fixed cartridge ammunition and shotgun shells, projectiles for muzzle-loading firearms, or any propellant used in firearms or ammunition.

(3) "Firearm or air gun accessory" means a device specifically designed or adapted to:

(A) enable the wearing or carrying by a person, or the storage or mounting in or on a conveyance, of a firearm or air gun; or

(B) be inserted into or affixed to a firearm or air gun to enable, alter, or improve the functioning or capabilities of the firearm.

(4) "Knife" has the meaning assigned by Section 46.01, Penal Code.

(5) "Sport shooting range" has the meaning assigned by Section 250.001.

(f) The attorney general may bring an action in the name of the state to obtain a temporary or permanent injunction against a municipality adopting a regulation in violation of this section. The attorney general may recover reasonable expenses incurred in obtaining an injunction under this subsection, including court costs, reasonable attorney's fees, investigative costs, witness fees, and deposition costs.

(g) This section does not limit the enforceability of any state or federal law.

Acts 1987, 70th Leg., ch. 149, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 1987. Amended by Acts 1995, 74th Leg., ch. 229, Sec. 7, eff. Sept. 1, 1995; Acts 1997, 75th Leg., ch. 165, Sec. 10.07, eff. Sept. 1, 1997. Renumbered from Sec. 215.001 by Acts 2001, 77th Leg., ch. 1420, Sec. 12.002(10), eff. Sept. 1, 2001.

Amended by:

Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 18 (S.B. 112), Sec. 5, eff. April 27, 2007.

Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 624 (S.B. 766), Sec. 5, eff. September 1, 2011.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 598 (S.B. 987), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.

Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1210 (S.B. 1400), Sec. 1, eff. June 14, 2013.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 437 (H.B. 910), Sec. 34, eff. January 1, 2016.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 700 (H.B. 905), Sec. 2, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 700 (H.B. 905), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2015.

Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1164 (H.B. 3231), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.