TEXAS – The move to make short-barrel firearms legal in the State of Texas is one step closer to being approved by lawmakers. Senate Bill 1596 recently cleared a key committee with a 9-2 vote and is now headed to the full Texas Senate for consideration.
This bill is stirring debate, especially because a short-barrel firearm was used in the tragic Santa Fe High shooting that took 10 lives, including eight students and two teachers. For many, that event is still fresh in memory, raising serious concerns about loosening restrictions.
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Supporters of the bill told lawmakers that the current laws are outdated and limit law-abiding citizens from protecting themselves. They see it as a matter of Second Amendment rights.
What exactly is a short-barrel firearm?
In Texas, it is defined as “a rifle with a barrel length of less than 16 inches or a shotgun with a barrel length of less than 18 inches, or any weapon made from a shotgun or rifle if, as altered, it has an overall length of less than 26 inches”
These weapons are typically more compact and can be easier to handle, but they’ve also been subject to tight regulations.
Under current Texas law, unless the short-barrel firearm is designated a relic, it is illegal to possess unless registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF).
House Bill 259 is a similar bill running parallel to SB 1596. Representatives in the Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs Committee will hear from both sides on the topic first thing on Monday, April 14.
Both bills simply remove short-barrel firearms from the list of prohibited weapons in Texas. However, even if the proposed law passes, it will still be a federal crime to possess a short-barrel firearm that has not been properly registered with the ATF.
If the bill passes a Senate and House vote and is signed by Governor Greg Abbott, the new law could go into effect on Monday, Sept. 1, 2025.
