Dallas Judge Denies Texas AG's Suit Over State Fair Gun Ban

According to the Dallas Morning News, a Dallas County District judge threw out Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's lawsuit against the City of Dallas over a new policy set by the State Fair of Texas, the organization contracted to run Fair Park during the annual event. The new rule prohibits citizens from lawfully carrying a firearm onto the premises. The State Fair will take place Sept. 27–Oct. 20, 2024.

The newspaper reported that Judge Emily Tobolowsky said there was not enough evidence showing any laws were being broken by the new restriction, which stipulates that only elected, appointed or employed peace officers could carry firearms on the grounds during the 24-day event. 

The fair announced the new policy on Aug. 8, partly in response to a shooting during the event last year that wounded three people. Fair-goers will have to pass through weapons-detection screening, and the full policy states, "As a private not-for-profit organization, the State Fair of Texas prohibits fair-goers from carrying all firearms, knives that are prohibited according to state law, clubs, explosive devices, ammunition, chemical-dispensing devices, replicas or hoaxes, or other weapons of any kind."

The attorney general had asked the court to grant an injunction to prevent the City of Dallas or the State Fair of Texas from enforcing the ban on firearms. 

Guns in meetings

In every sector that touches the meetings industry — hotels, conference centers, airports and more — the rules concerning guns pose difficult questions. It's a topic that many are loath to discuss, but current events continue to push it to the fore. 

Regulations vary widely throughout the United States, ranging from stricter states like California and New York, which have banned assault weapons among other restrictive measures, to more permissive states like Texas, which in 2016 passed a law to allow the open carry of guns in public.

In many areas, anyone can enter a public space legally with a concealed weapon if they have the appropriate permit. And while private businesses like hotels can and do sometimes set their own policies regarding weapons on their premises, these are very difficult to enforce.

For meeting professionals, the constant threat of gun violence heightens concerns, and emphasizes the need to take appropriate actions to mitigate risk. "Can We Keep Guns Out of Meetings?" offers more on this topic.