State Fair of Texas' ban on guns 'actually reduces safety', Republicans argue

Lawmakers push back against State Fair gun policy

The State Fair of Texas announced that licensed gun owners would not be allowed to carry inside the fair this year. FOX 4's Steven Dial talked with State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie) about the policy change and the push from Texas Republicans to have the policy changed back.

DALLAS - Fall is near, and that means college football and the State Fair of Texas.

This year, your corny dog is coming with a side of politics.

Fair officials are banning license to carry (LTC) holders from bringing guns onto the fairgrounds, and it has Texas Republicans, including Attorney General Ken Paxton mad.

Historically, LTC card holders could bring their concealed weapons inside.

70 Republicans in the Texas House sent a letter to the State Fair of Texas, urging them to reconsider banning guns from the fairgrounds.

The change comes in wake of a shooting that injured three people at last year's fair.

The suspect, Cameron Turner, was not licensed and police say he somehow got the gun past security, despite a new metal detection process.

FOX 4's Steven Dial spoke with State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie), one of the Republicans calling on the fair to go back to the old policy.

State Rep. Brian Harrison (R-Waxahachie)

Rep. Brian Harrison: "Allowing Texans to exercise, lawfully, their Second Amendment rights increases safety. And that's why I was appalled to see, and really disappointed to see the State Fair of Texas take this action to ban Texans from exercising their Second Amendment rights on the fairgrounds. If their goal was to maximize safety, this actually reduces safety. It does the exact opposite of that. We know the data shows that, this isn't just my opinion. The overwhelming majority of mass shootings happen in places where guns are banned. So this is a bad decision and I hope they reconsider it."

Steven Dial: "License to carry holders weren't banned last year and three people were shot. What would be your response to that?"

Rep. Harrison: "Yeah, and that's tragic. And it's really unfortunate, but here's the reality: If we're trying to increase safety, banning firearms, stopping Texans from exercising the Second Amendment is not the correct way to do this. And the data bears this out. The majority of mass shootings are actually stopped by armed citizens exercising their Second Amendment right. So if you're concerned about those types of acts of violence, then taking away, in fact, making it illegal or prohibiting Texans from protecting themselves and their family and their friends, is the exact wrong thing to do, even if it's done with the best of intentions. The data do not lie. When you ban firearms, you reduce safety."

Dial: "Is this just picking on the State Fair of Texas? I mean, I go to a Rangers game, you can't bring your gun. You go to, a concert, Chris Stapleton at AT&T Stadium, you can't bring your gun. They said other fairs have the same policy in place. What would be your response to that?"

Rep. Harrison: "This is absolutely not picking on one entity or one organization, but we're talking about one thing that historically has allowed Texans to exercise their Second Amendment rights. We are asking that they continue to do that. And look, you're going to be hard-pressed to find me calling on anybody or supporting any gun bans or infringements on the Second Amendment. So, listen, this has got nothing to do with the particulars here. This is about protecting the Constitution, protecting the Second Amendment, standing up for what my constituents want and pushing for policies that do what all those things do together, and that's maximizing safety. I want the State Fair to be successful. I want Texans to be able to go and enjoy it. I want them to be safe doing it. And the way you harm or reduce their expected safety is to stop them from exercising their Second Amendment. The State Fair needs to reconsider this, and I hope they do."

Fair officials have said they stand by their decision.

"We will respond to them directly. We want them to know they are heard, we hear them. However, this is a policy that our Board of Directors, as a nonprofit organization that we are managed by, feel this is a measure we need to take to create a safe environment for everyone who is out here," said State Fair spokeswoman Karissa Condoianis.

The fair emphasizes that more than 200 armed police and security officers patrol the annual event.

Harrison and other Republicans say if the policy is not changed they will consider legislation in January to, in their words, "protect Second Amendment rights […] on lands managed by the public."

The State Fair of Texas begins on Friday, September 27.

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