DALLAS — Ken Paxton filed a lawsuit Thursday against the city of Dallas for banning firearms at the State Fair of Texas.
Paxton issued a warning to the city on Aug. 14. “I give Dallas 15 days to fix the problem or I will face them in court,” he wrote.
The City of Dallas told Spectrum News in a statement, “The City was not involved in the State Fair of Texas’ arms enforcement policy announcement. The State Fair of Texas is a private event operated and managed by a private, non-profit organization, not the City.”
Paxton said the Texas State Fair’s policy change at Fair Park runs counter to state law, which gives licensed gun owners the right to carry their guns on government-owned property unless otherwise prohibited.
Texas schools and courtrooms are legally recognized as gun-free zones, and other institutions have the authority to implement their own gun laws.
Paxton is seeking civil penalties, a preliminary injunction and a permanent restraining order against the handgun ban. He also asked the court to grant an injunction blocking the city of Dallas and the State Fair of Texas from enforcing the firearms ban.
Fair organizers announced the gun ban earlier this month in the wake of last year’s mass shooting on the 277-acre fair grounds in downtown Dallas, a move that drew swift criticism from Republican state lawmakers who have proudly championed expanding gun rights in recent years.
“Local governments cannot void state law or avoid liability by nominally outsourcing official functions to third parties,” Paxton said. “Neither the City of Dallas nor the State Fair of Texas can infringe on Texans’ right to self-defense. Fifteen days ago, I threatened to confront them in court if they did not stop their unlawful activities, and now I will.”
On Friday, the State Fair of Texas released the following statement to Spectrum News 1:
“The State Fair of Texas continues to prioritize providing a safe and secure environment for our millions of visitors, staff, vendors and volunteers. As a non-profit private entity that leases Fair Park for the annual state fair, we believe we have the right to make this decision and will continue to maintain that it is the right decision to keep our visitors safe. Due to pending litigation, we will not be making any further comment at this time.”
The fair, which reopens in September and runs for about a month, has a history dating back to 1886. In addition to maze-like midway games, car shows, and the Texas Star Ferris Wheel, one of the tallest Ferris wheels in the United States, the fairgrounds also host the annual college football game between the University of Texas and the University of Oklahoma.