According to the Texas AG's office, the Act "criminalizes firearm possession in places of worship and other locations designated as sensitive." New York enacted the measure after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen, which struck down the state's previous concealed carry licensing regime.
Paxton's office argued that the law "violates both the Second Amendment's protection of gun rights and the First Amendment's guarantee of religious freedom." The briefs contend that the Act "effectively prevents law-abiding citizens from exercising their constitutional right to bear arms while attending religious services, creating an unconstitutional burden on fundamental rights," according to the announcement.
The Montana-led coalition challenges the Act's "broad definition of sensitive locations," arguing that the restrictions "go far beyond what the Supreme Court contemplated in Bruen when it acknowledged limited place-based restrictions on carrying firearms." The briefs assert that "places of worship should not be automatically categorized as sensitive locations where constitutional rights can be suspended."
The Texas AG's office described the filing as "part of a broader multi-state effort to push back against what conservative attorneys general view as attempts by blue states to circumvent the Supreme Court's Bruen decision." Bruen was decided in June 2022.
The amicus briefs were filed in ongoing federal litigation challenging the Act. The press release did not identify the specific case, court, or other states joining the coalition.
Paxton "has made challenging gun regulations a signature issue of his tenure, filing numerous lawsuits against federal agencies and supporting challenges to restrictive state laws," the office said.