Texas 2027 Gun Bills: What Lawmakers Pre-Filed on Nov. 9

On Nov. 9, 2026, the first day lawmakers could pre-file bills for the 2027 regular session of the 90th Legislature, Texas Legislature Online recorded 1,262 bills and resolutions filed. Our law scan is tracking 35 firearm-related bills from that first day; that's our selection, not an official count, and other bills touching on weapons were filed too. [S1]

The first thing to know: none of these is law. A filed bill is a proposal. To become law, it would have to be referred to a committee and approved there, pass both the House and the Senate, and then be signed by the governor, become law without a signature, or survive a veto override. The regular session convenes Jan. 12, 2027. [S1, S2]

Here's a plain-English look at the bills most likely to matter to gun owners.

Red flag orders (HB 218)#

HB 218 would create extreme risk protective orders in Texas. A family or household member, a parent or guardian of a minor in the household, or a peace officer could ask a court to stop someone from having guns if that person poses an immediate danger because of a serious mental illness and access to firearms. A judge could issue a temporary order without notice or a hearing first, with a full hearing to follow. [S3]

It would also repeal Code of Criminal Procedure Chapter 7C, the 2025 "Anti-Red Flag Act," which bars state and local governments, including courts, from enforcing red flag orders. As written, it would take effect Sept. 1, 2027. [S3]

Age-21 bills#

Several bills would raise the age for buying, having or receiving some or all firearms. Today, Penal Code 46.06 makes it a crime to sell, rent, lease or give a firearm to anyone younger than 18, but it's a defense if the child's parent or legal custodian gave written permission for a sale or consented to another kind of transfer. [S4]

• SB 80 would make it a crime for anyone under 21 to buy or possess an "assault weapon," as the bill defines it, and to sell, rent, lease or give one to someone under 21. The bill's definition turns on features, magazine type and capacity, and length. It covers some semiautomatic centerfire rifles (including any with a fixed magazine that holds more than 10 rounds or an overall length under 30 inches), semiautomatic shotguns that can accept a detachable magazine or have certain stock and grip features, some semiautomatic pistols, revolving-cylinder shotguns, and conversion kits, parts or combinations of parts that can be used to build or convert a gun into one of those. It would not restrict adults 21 and older. [S5]
• HB 606 would make it a Class A misdemeanor for anyone under 21 to buy or possess a firearm, and a crime to sell, rent, lease or give one to someone under 21 (a state jail felony for a handgun). The bill text lists no exceptions. [S6]
• HB 610 would make it a crime to sell, rent, lease or give any firearm to someone under 21, and the parent-consent defense would no longer cover firearms. [S7]
• HB 806 would raise the transfer age to 21 for semiautomatic rifles only, and keep the under-18 limit for other firearms. [S8]
• HB 857, HB 173 and HB 771 would make it a crime to sell, rent, lease or give (or offer to sell, rent, lease or give) someone under 21 a semiautomatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and is larger than .22 caliber. HB 857 and HB 173 include exceptions for transfers to peace officers and current or honorably discharged military members, and for certain temporary loans; HB 771 doesn't. [S9]

Federal law has its own age rules for buying from a dealer. Our explainer, How old do you have to be to buy a gun?, covers those.

Private-sale background checks (HB 613)#

HB 613 would require anyone who isn't a licensed dealer to sell to a dealer, or have a dealer run a federal background check (NICS) and confirm the buyer can legally have a gun, before handing over a firearm. The bill text lists no exceptions, such as for gifts between family members. A violation would be a Class A misdemeanor. [S10]

3D-printed guns (SB 308)#

According to its official caption, SB 308 would ban making firearms and major firearm components with a three-dimensional (3D) printer; possessing, transporting, repairing or selling them; and distributing or publishing the schematics for them. The bill defines a major component as the barrel, the slide or cylinder, or the frame or receiver, and a digital firearm schematic as a computer-aided design (CAD) file or other digital instruction for 3D-printing a firearm or major component. [S11]

Carry bills#

Not every filed bill adds restrictions. Some would loosen carry rules, and one would let local governments tighten them:

• HB 377 and HB 422 would give license holders who submit renewal materials at least 10 days before expiration a 90-day extension, as long as they carry the renewal receipt with the expired license. [S12]
• HB 533 would let handgun license holders carry a concealed handgun at a polling place on election day or during early voting, as long as it's the only weapon covered by the state's prohibited-places law that they have with them and the polling place isn't somewhere state law otherwise bans concealed carry. [S13]
• HB 712 would let cities and counties regulate or ban carrying firearms at libraries they establish and operate, an exception to the state's preemption laws. It wouldn't apply to peace officers and certain special investigators, military members or penal-institution guards on official duty, or security officers and personal protection officers authorized to carry under a state private-security commission or license. [S14]

What happens next#

After the session convenes Jan. 12, 2027, prefiled bills are formally introduced (read for the first time) and referred to committees. Watch for committee hearings, which are usually the first sign a bill is moving. We'll track these bills on our pending laws page and update our Texas law page only if something actually becomes law.

For the bigger political picture after the Nov. 3 elections, see our midterms note.

Bottom line#

Texas lawmakers filed a wide range of gun bills on the first day of pre-filing, including a red flag bill, several age-21 bills and a private-sale check requirement. They're proposals only. Nothing changes for Texas gun owners unless a bill passes both chambers and becomes law, whether by the governor's signature, without a signature or by a veto override.

This is general information, not legal advice.