Texas Democrats File Nearly 20 Gun Control Bills Days After Taking House and Governor’s Office
Just days after Democrat Gina Hinojosa unseated three-term Republican Gov. Greg Abbott and Democrats grabbed control of the Texas House for the first time since 2002, the new majority wasted no time going after the Second Amendment.
On Monday, November 9, 2026—the first day lawmakers could prefile bills for the 90th Legislature—Democrats dropped a package of roughly 20 gun control measures. NRA-ILA tracked closer to 35 total firearm-related bills that day, the vast majority restrictive. The session itself does not start until January 12, 2027, but the agenda is already on the table.
The Texas Senate remains under Republican control, which Second Amendment advocates see as the remaining check. That has not slowed the filing.
Key Bills Already Filed
SB 80 (Sen. Judith Zaffirini) targets so-called “assault weapons.” It would ban transfer, purchase, and possession of commonly owned semiautomatic centerfire rifles that accept detachable magazines and have features such as a pistol grip. Bill text is available on the Texas Legislature site.
HB 218 (Rep. Ann Johnson of Houston) repeals the 2025 law (SB 1362, signed by Gov. Abbott) that banned red-flag orders and blocked local governments from enforcing or funding them. It creates extreme risk protective orders. Family members, household members, or law enforcement can petition a court. A judge can issue a temporary order without notifying the owner or holding a hearing, requiring surrender of firearms to police within 24 hours. A full hearing must occur within 14 days; the order can last up to a year and be renewed. Possession in violation is a Class A misdemeanor. Full text: HB 218.
Texas Gun Rights President Chris McNutt called it a confiscation scheme. “Ann Johnson’s HB 218 doesn’t just repeal Texas’s ban on red flag laws. It creates a statewide red flag gun confiscation scheme that lets a judge order your guns taken without a crime, without a hearing, and without you ever knowing it was coming, based on nothing more than an allegation,” he told Texas Scorecard. “You’d have 24 hours to surrender your firearms and up to two weeks before you get your day in court.”
HB 173 (Rep. Joe Moody of El Paso) and related bills (including HB 606) make it a state jail felony to transfer many semiautomatic rifles—those accepting detachable magazines and chambered larger than .22—to adults under 21. Exceptions exist for peace officers, current or honorably discharged military, and some temporary loans at a range or hunt. Details via Ammoland and the Texas Legislature.
HB 613 requires a national instant criminal background check for private firearm transfers.
HB 659 requires licensed dealers to report certain multiple purchases of firearms or magazines to law enforcement.
HB 712 weakens statewide firearms preemption, opening the door for cities and counties to enact local restrictions.
Additional measures cover mandatory storage, further age limits, and expanded penalties. The Gateway Pundit and The Texan both covered the volume of filings.
What It Means
None of these have passed. With Democrats holding the House and the governorship, the path is clearer than it has been in decades. Gun-rights groups including Texas Gun Rights and NRA-ILA are already tracking the package and calling for engagement before the January session.
Texas has long been a stronghold for permitless carry and broad Second Amendment protections. These early filings show how quickly that can shift when majorities change.