Texas is weird about guns. Not "weird" in a bad way, necessarily, but weird in the sense that everyone thinks they know the rules until they actually try to carry a piece into a Post Office or a suburban library. People assume it’s the Wild West where anything goes. It isn't.
Actually, the legal landscape just shifted again. The 89th Legislative Session wrapped up recently, and several pieces of new Texas gun law are officially on the books as of late 2025 and early 2026. If you’re still operating on 2021 logic—back when "Constitutional Carry" first made headlines—you’re basically asking for a headache, or worse, a felony charge you didn't see coming.
Honestly, the biggest changes aren't just about what you can do. They're about what local cities can't do anymore.
The End of the Buyback: Why SB 3053 Matters
For years, cities like Houston or Austin would hold these "gun buyback" events. You've seen them on the news—people lining up to trade an old shotgun for a $50 Visa gift card. Well, those are essentially dead.
Senate Bill 3053 basically pulled the plug on these programs. The state legislature decided that local municipalities and counties shouldn't be using public resources to facilitate the "surrender" of firearms. Proponents of the bill argued these programs were ineffective at stopping crime and mostly just resulted in the destruction of historical or valuable property. Critics, naturally, say it takes a tool away from local law enforcement.
But regardless of which side you’re on, the reality is simple: if you’ve got an unwanted firearm in Texas now, you can’t just wait for a city-sponsored event to ditch it. You’ll need to look at private sales or licensed dealers.
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Short-Barrel Rifles and the "State-Level" Loophole
This one is a bit of a legal brain-twister. Senate Bill 1596 made a massive splash by removing short-barrel rifles (SBRs) and shotguns from the state's list of prohibited weapons.
Wait. Does that mean you can just go buy an SBR without paperwork?
No. Definitely not.
Here’s the nuance people miss: the federal government (the ATF) still considers these "NFA items." You still need the $200 tax stamp and the months-long wait time required by federal law. What SB 1596 did was remove the state-level penalty. It’s Texas saying, "We don't care if you have one, but the feds still might."
It’s a symbolic move in many ways, but it protects owners from being "double-charged" by both a local DA and a federal prosecutor. It’s also a clear signal that Austin is done enforcing federal firearm classifications they find arbitrary.
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The "Red Flag" Firewall: SB 1362
"Red Flag" laws (Extreme Risk Protection Orders) allow courts to temporarily seize firearms from someone deemed a danger to themselves or others. Twenty-one states have them. Texas is not one of them.
In fact, the state just doubled down. Senate Bill 1362 effectively bans the enforcement of federal or out-of-state red flag orders within Texas borders. It even makes it a criminal offense for certain officials to try and enforce an out-of-state order here.
This creates a "sanctuary" environment for Second Amendment rights. While the debate over mental health and gun safety rages on, the legal reality in Texas is that due process—the kind that involves a full trial before rights are stripped—is the only path the state will recognize.
The One-Year Grace Period (HB 668)
Not every new law is about "expanding" rights in a dramatic way; some are just about paperwork. Take House Bill 668.
Before this, if your License to Carry (LTC) expired, you were basically a "new" applicant again if you waited too long. Now, you’ve got a full one-year grace period after the expiration date to renew your permit without starting the whole process from scratch.
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It’s a bit of breathing room for the busy person who forgot to check their wallet. Plus, for those who actually get denied a license for medical or mental health reasons, HB 1234 now gives you an extra 30 days to appeal and submit your own evidence. It's about making the bureaucracy a little less of a brick wall.
Where You Still Can’t Go (And the Library Exception)
Despite the "carry everywhere" vibe, the list of "gun-free zones" is still long and strictly enforced.
- Schools and Buses: Still a hard no.
- Courts and Polling Places: Don't even think about it.
- Bars (51% establishments): If they make most of their money from booze, leave the gun in the car.
However, there’s been a weird tug-of-war over public libraries. HB 1138 tried to give cities more power to ban guns in libraries, but it faced heavy resistance. Generally speaking, unless a library is part of a school campus, it’s often considered a public space where carry is allowed—but you have to watch the signage. If a city or county hasn't followed the specific "30.05, 30.06, or 30.07" notice requirements to the letter, they can't legally bar you.
The Federal Curveball: Post Offices
This isn't a state law, but it affects every Texan. A federal judge in Texas (Judge Reed O'Connor) recently ruled that banning guns in Post Offices is unconstitutional.
He cited the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, saying there’s no historical tradition of banning firearms in places where people just go to buy stamps. While the federal government is appealing this, for the moment, the "Federal Building" ban has a massive, Texas-sized crack in it.
What You Should Actually Do Now
If you’re a gun owner in Texas or moving here, the "Vibes-Based" approach to law will get you arrested. Here are the actionable steps:
- Check your holster: Permitless carry requires the gun to be in a holster. If it’s just shoved in your waistband, you're technically breaking the law.
- Verify your LTC date: Even if you carry "permitless," an LTC is worth it for reciprocity in other states (like Oklahoma or Arkansas) and for faster background checks at the store. Check if you're in that new one-year renewal window.
- Learn the signs: You need to know the difference between a "30.05" sign (no permitless carry), a "30.06" (no concealed carry), and a "30.07" (no open carry). A business can pick and choose which ones to post.
- Ignore the "Buyback" flyers: If you see a local group offering a buyback, check their legal standing. Under SB 3053, these are largely unauthorized or must follow strict new destruction protocols.
Texas is leaning into a "Constitutional" framework where the state government acts as a shield against federal overreach. It’s a complex, high-stakes game of legal chess. Stay updated, because "I didn't know" isn't a valid defense in a Texas courtroom.