The Texas Legislature will convene its 2009 Regular Session next Tuesday, January 13. 

State Representative Dennis Bonnen (R-Angleton) has pre-filed House Bill 267, legislation which would allow Texans to purchase rifles and shotguns in non-contiguous states.  Currently, federal law allows the interstate sales of such firearms, but a conflicting Texas law only allows residents to buy long guns in the neighboring states of Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and New Mexico.  This state law has prevented the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE) from approving sales of rifles and shotguns in 45 other states to Texas residents. 

Please contact your State Representatives and respectfully ask them to sign on as co-authors to HB 267 so that Texas law could be brought into line with federal law.  Updated contact information for returning and newly elected House members can be found next week at http://www.house.state.tx.us.