Senator Hall, the bill's author, told the Senate Committee on State Affairs that Senate Bill 1065 would require contracts for government-owned or -leased property to prohibit contractors from restricting licensed handgun holders from carrying firearms except where state law already prohibits carry.

The bill, Hall said, aims to close what he and supporters described as a loophole revealed when the State Fair of Texas barred firearms on its fairgrounds after a 2023 shooting. "This bill simply requires that the contracts for the use of property owned or leased by government entities include provisions prohibiting contractors from renting or leasing government property with restricting licensed handgun holders from carrying firearms," Hall testified. He said the measure would allow licensed handgun holders to file complaints, give contractors three days to cure violations, and authorize the attorney general to investigate and seek penalties.

Supporters including John Poole, executive director of the Texas State Rifle Association, and Nick Tuccio, state director for the National Rifle Association, told the committee the bill restores rights for licensed carry holders. Poole said the State Fair's policy "nullified" rights and called the measure necessary to "close a loophole." Tuccio described licensed carry holders as a "fundamentally law abiding population" and urged passage.

Opponents, including Sarah West of Moms Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, said the bill would strip event organizers and contractors of the flexibility needed to set site-specific safety rules. West said the measure would impose a "one-size-fits-all gun mandate on settings as varied as public streets, the Houston zoo and public universities" and could raise liability or insurance concerns for contractors that run large public events.

Other witnesses included Gary Zimmerman, a multi-state licensed carry instructor who testified for the bill, and Chris McNutt, president of Texas Gun Rights, who said the measure complements other bills aimed at reducing so-called "gun-free zones." Committee members asked witnesses about the 2023 Fair Park incident; witnesses and the bill author referred to reporting that an illegally smuggled firearm was involved and that the contractor's actions were a policy response.

Senator Hall and witnesses also noted a practical limitation: the bill's provisions would apply prospectively to contracts renewed, modified, or extended after the law's effective date, and the bill would not take effect for an existing contract unless the contract were amended. Public testimony closed with the bill left pending.

Votes at the hearing: none; the committee left SB 1065 pending for further consideration.