Gun rights have been at the forefront of national discourse in recent years. In 2021, Texas Governor Greg Abbot took a stand on protecting gun owners, signing multiple pro-2A gun bills into law. One such bill, SB19, was codified in Texas Law as the Prohibition on Contracts With Companies That Discriminate Against Firearm and Ammunition Industries (Sections 2274.001 - .003).
In January, Reuters reported that Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Citigroup Inc discriminated against the firearms sector and, as a result, has lost the ability to underwrite most of Texas' municipal bond offerings.
Let’s take a look at what this means for Texans and businesses across the U.S.
What is this Law?
Section 2274.001 - .003 was added in 2021 to prohibit state agencies from contracting with companies that discriminate against firearms businesses or those who sell ammunition or firearms-related accessories--there are a few exemptions. This means that any company that wishes to do business with the state of Texas must not have policies singling out firearm or ammunition businesses for discrimination. It also requires companies to disclose any policies they may have which could be seen as discriminatory towards firearm-related businesses.
What does this mean for Texans?
This law is an important step in protecting the rights of gun owners in Texas and making sure corporations are held accountable for their potentially discriminatory practices towards firearm-related companies and industries. The new law ensures that anyone doing business with the state of Texas must treat all industries equally concerning contracts and partnerships without prejudice or discrimination against a firearms entity or firearm trade association as defined in the law. Furthermore, it reinforces our commitment to upholding Second Amendment rights here in The Lone Star State!
What does this mean for other states?
It's no secret that many states are looking to emulate what has been done in Texas when it comes to protecting our Second Amendment rights; however, there are still several states that do not have similar laws preventing corporations from discriminating against firearms businesses and individuals involved in them. Hopefully, other states will follow suit and pass laws similar to Section 2274 - even on a local level -which will help ensure that corporate America respects our right to bear arms without fear of reprisal or discrimination from big business interests.
In 2021, Texas made its stance clear regarding protecting gun owners' rights by passing SB19 into law as Section 2274
prohibiting companies contracting with state agencies from discriminating against firearm-related businesses and individuals involved with them. This is an important step forward in ensuring that corporations are held accountable for their actions when it comes to our Second Amendment rights here in The Lone Star State - but it also serves as an example for other states who might want to take similar measures elsewhere across America! We hope more states will follow suit soon so we can all enjoy equal protection under the law!