Monitoring the Session

HB 259

bill taking short-barrel firearms off the banned weapons list

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Richard HayesRHouse 57

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the prohibition of short-barrel firearms.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Short-barrel rifles and shotguns leave the Texas Penal Code list.

This bill takes short-barrel firearms off the Texas Penal Code list of banned weapons and repeals the state definition of a short-barrel firearm. It touches anyone in Texas who owns, makes, moves, repairs or sells a short-barrel rifle or shotgun, and it also strikes a related affirmative defense that is no longer needed. Starting September 1, 2025, having or dealing in a short-barrel firearm would no longer be a state offense, whether or not the item is federally registered, while machine guns and explosive weapons stay on the list.

Labels

Labels: BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 2705 (Did not pass). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB259 · 2024-11-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Richard HayesRHouse 57 Rep. Benjamin BumgarnerRHouse 63 Rep. Wes VirdellRHouse 53

+ 1 more author, 33 coauthors

ITEM

relating to the prohibition of short-barrel firearms.

WHAT IT DOES

Short-barrel rifles and shotguns leave the Texas Penal Code list.

This bill takes short-barrel firearms off the Texas Penal Code list of banned weapons and repeals the state definition of a short-barrel firearm. It touches anyone in Texas who owns, makes, moves, repairs or sells a short-barrel rifle or shotgun, and it also strikes a related affirmative defense that is no longer needed. Starting September 1, 2025, having or dealing in a short-barrel firearm would no longer be a state offense, whether or not the item is federally registered, while machine guns and explosive weapons stay on the list.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 13, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Richard Hayes

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$205KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$40KMichael Tenny$20,000

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 28, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$204,650.12

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$204,650.12

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$119,650.12
Total
$204,650.12
mail $104,250.12polling $15,400.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 27, 2025 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010307, 101032268, 101069605, 101071583.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$40,400.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$40,400.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$15,400.00
Total
$40,400.00
polling $15,400.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 13, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069605, 101071583.

Michael Tenny$20,000.00
Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$204,650.12

Cash
$85,000.00
Paid by others
$119,650.12
Total
$204,650.12
mail $104,250.12polling $15,400.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 27, 2025 to Oct 20, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101010307, 101032268, 101069605, 101071583.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$40,400.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$15,400.00
Total
$40,400.00
polling $15,400.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 13, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069605, 101071583.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 13, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 2705

by Rep. Hayes, same lead author · Did not pass · same text

Introduced text

Last action, May 11, 2023: Placed on General State Calendar

Relating to the prohibition of short-barrel firearms.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Nov 12, 2024

04/14/2025 H Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors
Trent AshbyRHouse 9 Keith BellRHouse 4 Charles CunninghamRHouse 127 Pat CurryRHouse 56 Mano DeAyalaRHouse 133 Mark DorazioRHouse 122 Stan GerdesRHouse 17 Cody HarrisRHouse 8 Brian HarrisonRHouse 10 Hillary HicklandRHouse 55 Janis HoltRHouse 18 Andy HopperRHouse 64 Carrie IsaacRHouse 73 Helen KerwinRHouse 58 Stan KitzmanRHouse 85 AJ LouderbackRHouse 30 John LujanRHouse 118 Shelley LutherRHouse 62 Don McLaughlinRHouse 80 Will MetcalfRHouse 16 Brent MoneyRHouse 2 Candy NobleRHouse 89 Mike OlcottRHouse 60 Dennis PaulRHouse 129 Keresa RichardsonRHouse 61 Nate SchatzlineRHouse 93 Alan SchoolcraftRHouse 44 Shelby SlawsonRHouse 59 David SpillerRHouse 68 Valoree SwansonRHouse 150 Carl H. TepperRHouse 84 Steve TothRHouse 15 Cody VasutRHouse 25

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 1596 by Hagenbuch (identical)

Subjects

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Weapons

Text

The text as introduced · 355 words

89R892 TSS-F

By: Hayes
H.B. No. 259

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the prohibition of short-barrel firearms.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Sections 46.05(a) and (d), Penal Code, are

amended to read as follows:

(a) A person commits an offense if the person intentionally

or knowingly possesses, manufactures, transports, repairs, or

sells:

(1) any of the following items, unless the item is

registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer

Record maintained by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and

Explosives or otherwise not subject to that registration

requirement or unless the item is classified as a curio or relic by

the United States Department of Justice:

(A) an explosive weapon; or

(B) a machine gun; [ or

[ (C) a short-barrel firearm; ]

(2) armor-piercing ammunition;

(3) a chemical dispensing device;

(4) a zip gun;

(5) a tire deflation device; or

(6) an improvised explosive device.

(d) It is an affirmative defense to prosecution under this

section that the actor's conduct:

(1) was incidental to dealing with a [ short-barrel

firearm or ] tire deflation device solely as an antique or curio;

(2) was incidental to dealing with armor-piercing

ammunition solely for the purpose of making the ammunition

available to an organization, agency, or institution listed in

Subsection (b); or

(3) was incidental to dealing with a tire deflation

device solely for the purpose of making the device available to an

organization, agency, or institution listed in Subsection (b).

SECTION 2. Section 46.01(10), Penal Code, is repealed.

SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.