EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) — Gun buyback events across Texas will soon be a thing of the past under a new state law signed by Governor Greg Abbott.
House Bill 3053, which takes effect Sept. 1, prohibits cities and counties from hosting the events. El Paso County has held three gun buybacks in recent years and is preparing for its fourth and final event this weekend.
The event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 16, from 8 a.m. to noon at the Ascarate County Tax Office, located at 301 Manny Martinez Dr. Residents can turn in an unlimited number of firearms and ammunition in exchange for the following:
- $50 for non-functioning firearms
- $100 for rifles or shotguns
- $150 for handguns
- $200 for assault rifles
The event will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
County leaders say the gun buyback programs provide residents with a safe and anonymous way to dispose of unwanted firearms.
“More than 1,200 weapons have been voluntarily turned in by the community,” County Commissioner Jackie Butler said. “People can turn in a weapon, get a gift card in return, and be confident those weapons will be destroyed.”
El Paso County Sheriff Oscar Ugarte says the program helps keep guns from being stolen or misused.
“We’d rather collect firearms the community doesn’t want before they end up in the wrong hands,” Ugarte said.
El Paso County Attorney Christina Sanchez says youth access to firearms is a growing concern. In 2024, her office received 38 juvenile offense referrals involving a firearm. By mid-August of 2025, that number had already climbed to 46.
Some Republican leaders argue that the events do not address the root causes of crime and are a misuse of taxpayer dollars.
“It’s not a matter of getting rid of guns. It’s a matter of addressing the fact that criminals have a criminal mind, that’s what we need to address,” El Paso County Republican Party Chairman Michael Aboud said. “It’s absolutely a waste of money, a waste of tax dollars, which is why these politicians do it. It’s not their money.”
Read: Read More