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Travis County To Consider Stricter Gun Show Laws


Travis County is considering a ban on gun shows on public property. On Tuesday, Travis County Commissioners will plan to take steps on measures to ban gun shows on county owned land and facilities, and the City of Austin will also consider a similar proposal.

The proposal is drawing a stark divide between the two sides of gun control. 

Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson, a supporter of gun rights, said he thinks the proposal sweeps the issue under the rug. “This gun shop proposal is merely for show. This is all about politics and frankly it will not make us safer,” Patterson said. “Go to a gun show, overwhelmingly 90 percent are from a licensed dealer.”

Chief of Police Art Acevedo said he needs to look at the proposal more carefully, but background checks are a big concern for him. “None can say that we don't have a problem with some of our gun shows. We know we have strong purchasers that go in there and buy a dozen handguns and go out into a parking lot and sell it to drug cartels,” Acevedo said. “It's safe to say we can do better as a nation to keep guns out of the hand of the criminal element and out of the hands of the mentally unsound.”

Travis County Commissioners will meet at 11 p.m. on Tuesday.

By Cassie Gallo