Texas Democrats File 23 Gun Control Bills Following Midterm Victories
By douglasharrington // 2026-11-10
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Texas Democrats filed 23 bills restricting firearm transfers, possession and use for the upcoming legislative session, according to bill filings reported Monday, Nov. 9. The filings were reported days  days after Republicans lost control of the Texas House of Representatives and the governor's office in the Nov. 3 election [1]. The proposals range from extreme-risk protective orders issued without a prior hearing to age limits on rifles, private-sale background checks and expanded criminal penalties, according to the filings [2]. The filings came during the first day of pre-filing for the 2027 Regular Session of the Texas Legislature, when legislators filed roughly 35 firearm-related bills, the majority of them anti-gun proposals [3]. Republicans will maintain control of the Texas Senate, meaning any gun control bill still has to clear a Republican chamber, which makes passage unlikely [4][5]. The state Senate majority is now the last legislative firewall against a gun confiscation lobby with its biggest opening in decades, Texas Gun Rights stated [6].

Key Provisions of the Filed Bills

House Bill (HB) 218, filed by State Rep. Ann Johnson (D-Houston), would create extreme-risk protective orders, including temporary orders issued without notice. The person would have to turn over their guns within 24 hours. A full order would last up to a year and could be renewed. HB 173, filed by State Speaker Pro Tempore Joe Moody (D-El Paso) criminalizes the transfer of a semi-automatic rifle larger than .22 caliber and takes a detachable magazine to anyone younger than 21 years old. HB 613, filed by State Rep. Suleman Lalani (D-Sugar Land), would mandate a national instant criminal background check on firearms being transferred between private individuals. HB 606 – also by Lalani – would prohibit transferring firearms to, or the purchase or possession of firearms by, people under 21, and would create a criminal offense [7]. Senate Bill 80, filed by State Sen. Judith Zaffirini (D-Laredo), would make it a Class A misdemeanor for someone younger than 21 to buy or possess one. However, the bill carves out defenses for peace officers, military members and people who lawfully possessed the weapon on Aug. 31, 2027. HB 576, filed by Lalani, would bar registered sex offenders from buying a firearm, but only for registration based on an offense committed on or after Sept. 1, 2027. HB 103, filed by State Rep. Armando Martinez (D-Weslaco), would expand the state crime of reckless discharge of a firearm so it also covers counties of 500,000 or more people, not just cities of 100,000 or more.

Political Context and Reactions

Democrats swept statewide races with the filing period opening less than a week after the election [4]. On Nov. 3, Texas voters sent a Democrat to the U.S. Senate, a Democrat to the governor's office, a Democrat to the attorney general's office and a Democrat to the lieutenant governor's office [8].  Democrats also flipped the Texas House, giving popular gun reform policies a fighting chance, The Trace reported [9]. Supporters say the measures aim to reduce gun violence. Johnson, the sponsor of HB 218, said in a statement that the bill would provide a tool to prevent tragedies. In contrast, opponents argue the bills infringe on Second Amendment rights. A Republican senator said the proposals face strong resistance in the Senate and would be "dead on arrival," according to a statement. Republicans still have their Senate majority in Texas, so none of this will pass, one conservative commentator wrote on Reddit [10].

Next Steps in the Legislative Process

The bills will be assigned to committees, where they will be debated and possibly amended before reaching the full House, according to legislative procedures. In Georgia, Ohio, Iowa and Texas, Democrats won the governor's office but not the full legislature, so any gun control bill still has to clear a Republican chamber, which makes passage unlikely, according to an analysis of the 2026 midterm results [5]. New Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa's priorities will also influence the outcome. A spokesperson said the governor supports "common-sense gun safety measures" but did not comment on specific bills, according to the statement. Lieutenant Governor-elect Vikki Goodwin (D) authored HB 432 in 2025, which would have enacted universal gun registration by criminalizing private firearm transfers that don't first go through a licensed dealer's background check, Texas Gun Rights noted [6].

Outlook Uncertain

The volume of bills filed during prefiling does not guarantee floor votes, and the Senate's Republican majority gives the chamber leverage to rewrite or reject the measures before they reach the governor's desk. The filings signal a new legislative focus in Texas, but the path to enactment remains unclear, according to observers. Texas' 2021 constitutional carry law removed the licensing requirement for eligible adults carrying handguns, and Article I, Section 23 of the state constitution protects the right to keep and bear arms while recognizing legislative authority to regulate the carrying of arms [11]. Even if a governor calls a special session on carry laws, lawmakers would still have to pass a bill, and a special-session proclamation does not repeal existing law [11].

References

  1. BREAKING: Democrats File 23 Gun Restriction Bills Days After Republicans Lose the Texas House and Governor's Office. https://independentnewsroom.com/p/breaking-democrats-file-a-flood-of-gun-restriction-bills-days-after-republicans-lose-the-texas-house
  2. Texas Democrats Introduce Sweeping Gun Control Proposals Following Historic Election Victories – [your]NEWS. https://yournews.com/2026/11/09/7259564/texas-democrats-introduce-sweeping-gun-control-proposals-following-historic-election/
  3. Texas: A Flurry of Anti-Gun Bills Introduced on the First Day ... - NRA-ILA. https://www.nraila.org/articles/20261109/texas-a-flurry-of-anti-gun-bills-introduced-on-the-first-day-of-prefiling
  4. Texas Democrats set sights on 2027 legislative session as bill filing begins – Houston Public Media. https://www.houstonpublicmedia.org/articles/news/politics/2026/11/09/566649/texas-democrats-set-sights-on-2027-legislative-session-as-bill-filing-begins/?amp=1
  5. Gun Control After the 2026 Midterms: The States Now at Risk. https://www.rifleconfigurator.com/articles/gun-control-states-2026-midterms
  6. Texas Senate Is the Last Firewall. Gun Owners Must Make It Hold. - Texas Gun Rights. https://texasgunrights.org/texas-senate-is-the-last-firewall-gun-owners-must-make-it-hold/
  7. BREAKING: Democrats File A Flood Of Gun Restriction Bills Days After. https://www.alexjoneslive.com/2026/11/09/breaking-democrats-file-a-flood-of-gun-restriction-bills-days-after-republicans-lose-the-texas-house-and-governors-office/
  8. Texas Elected Gun-Control Democrats. What Changes for Owners. - 80 Percent Arms. https://www.80percentarms.com/blog/texas-2026-election-gun-rights-owners/
  9. Bulletin: What the Blue Wave Means for Gun Policy, in Texas and Beyond. https://www.thetrace.org/newsletter/what-the-blue-wave-means-for-gun-policy-in-texas-and-beyond/
  10. Democrats File a Flood of Gun Restriction Bills Days After. https://www.reddit.com/r/Conservative/comments/1xs6z5c/democrats_file_a_flood_of_gun_restriction_bills/
  11. Can Texas Democrats Repeal Constitutional Carry? https://www.klif.com/2026/11/07/can-texas-democrats-repeal-constitutional-carry/

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