HB 39: State shares veteran death data with the Texas Veterans Commission

Caption

relating to information and data regarding the incidence of veteran deaths in this state.

Summary

Cause of death, age, race, gender and occupation, deidentified.

When a veteran's death certificate is filed, the state health department must send the Texas Veterans Commission deidentified information on the person's cause of death, age, race, gender, and occupation. The Veterans Commission must then publish a yearly report by September 1 with the combined data, an evaluation, and any recommendations, and send it to the legislative committees that handle veterans affairs. Instead of a simple notice of death, the commission now gets data it can track, and the public gets an annual report starting by September 1, 2026.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Ray Lopez (D) in the House. Lead sponsor Tan Parker (R) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB39 · 2025-03-03

SOLD BY

Rep. Ray LopezDHouse 125

Rep. Todd HunterRHouse 32

Rep. Cole HefnerRHouse 5

+ 9 coauthors

ITEM

relating to information and data regarding the incidence of veteran deaths in this state.

WHAT IT DOES

Cause of death, age, race, gender and occupation, deidentified.

When a veteran's death certificate is filed, the state health department must send the Texas Veterans Commission deidentified information on the person's cause of death, age, race, gender, and occupation. The Veterans Commission must then publish a yearly report by September 1 with the combined data, an evaluation, and any recommendations, and send it to the legislative committees that handle veterans affairs. Instead of a simple notice of death, the commission now gets data it can track, and the public gets an annual report starting by September 1, 2026.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 22, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 3, 2025Filed
Mar 5, 2025Read first time
Mar 5, 2025Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker
Mar 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Mar 17, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Mar 17, 2025Committee substitute considered in s/c
Mar 17, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Mar 17, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
Mar 26, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
Mar 26, 2025Considered in public hearing
Mar 26, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Mar 26, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
Mar 31, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Mar 31, 2025Committee report distributed
Mar 31, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
Apr 9, 2025Considered in Calendars
Apr 14, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
Apr 14, 2025Read 2nd time
Apr 14, 2025Amended 1-Toth and J. Garcia
Apr 14, 2025Record vote RV#159
Apr 14, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
Apr 14, 2025Record vote RV#160
Apr 14, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Apr 15, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 15, 2025Passed
Apr 15, 2025Record vote RV#175
Apr 15, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 15, 2025Received from the House
Apr 16, 2025Read first time
Apr 16, 2025Referred to Vet Affairs
May 15, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 15, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 15, 2025Testimony taken in committee
May 15, 2025Left pending in committee
May 15, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 15, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 19, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 19, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
May 19, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 21, 2025Co-sponsor authorized
May 21, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 21, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 21, 2025Read 2nd time
May 21, 2025Amendment(s) offered FA1 Parker
May 21, 2025Amended
May 21, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 21, 2025Passed to 3rd reading as amended
May 21, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 21, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 21, 2025Record vote
May 21, 2025Read 3rd time
May 21, 2025Passed
May 21, 2025Record vote
May 21, 2025Senate passage as amended reported
May 22, 2025Senate Amendments distributed
May 22, 2025Senate Amendments Analysis distributed
May 23, 2025House concurs in Senate amendment(s)
May 23, 2025Record vote RV#3440
May 23, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 23, 2025Text of Senate Amendment(s)
May 23, 2025House concurs in Senate amendment(s)-reported
May 24, 2025Reported enrolled
May 25, 2025Signed in the House
May 25, 2025Signed in the Senate
May 26, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Signed by the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 145 yea · 0 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · Apr 15, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · May 21, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Ray Lopez

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$5K Texas Sands PAC$4K Valero Energy Corporation PAC$3K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Jul 5, 2024 to May 29, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$5,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$5,000.00

Cash: $5,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $5,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jul 18, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987088, 101031958.

Texas Sands PAC$4,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash: $4,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 23, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987088.

Valero Energy Corporation PAC$3,000.00

Valero Energy Corporation PAC

$3,000.00

Cash: $3,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $3,000.00

Also funds 94 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 25, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jul 9, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987088, 101031958.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$5,000.00

Cash: $5,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $5,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jul 18, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987088, 101031958.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$4,000.00

Cash: $4,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $4,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Oct 23, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987088.

×

Valero Energy Corporation PAC

$3,000.00

Cash: $3,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $3,000.00

Also funds 94 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Oct 25, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 13, 2024 to Jul 9, 2025. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 100987088, 101031958.

Votes7

House May 23, 2025

Yea: 133
Nay: 4
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 5
Excused: 7

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 3440

Representative R. Lopez moved to concur in the senate amendments to HB 39. The motion to concur in the senate amendments to HB 39 prevailed by (Record 3440): 133 Yeas, 4 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 133 (published)
Nay: 4 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 21, 2025

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Parker moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSHB 39 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 21, 2025

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Parker moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that CSHB 39 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 21, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

CSHB 39 as amended was passed to third reading by a viva voce vote.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House Apr 15, 2025

Yea: 145
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 1
Excused: 2

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 175

HB 39 was passed by (Record 175): 145 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 145 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House Apr 14, 2025

Yea: 143
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 3
Excused: 2

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 160

CSHB 39, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 160): 143 Yeas, 0 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 143 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House Apr 14, 2025

Yea: 145
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 0
Excused: 2

Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 159

Amendment No. 1 was adopted by (Record 159): 145 Yeas, 1 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 145 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 0 (derived from named list)
Excused: 2 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses13

For: 9
Against: 0
On: 4

Names

For

AARP Texas1 registration
Caritas of Austin1 registration
El Paso County1 registration
Self1 registration
Self; The VOICESof Our Veterans1 registration
Self; VFW Department of Texas1 registration
Self; VFW Dept of Texas1 registration
The American Legion, Dept of Texas1 registration
USAA1 registration

On

Department of State Health Services2 registrations
Texas Veterans Commission2 registrations

Sources

13 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version F · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version F · May 22, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 3, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report · Enrolled

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Coauthors

Aicha DavisDHouse 109

Lulu FloresDHouse 51

R.D. "Bobby" GuerraDHouse 41

Sam HarlessRHouse 126

Cody HarrisRHouse 8

Carrie IsaacRHouse 73

Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

Vincent PerezDHouse 77

Mihaela PlesaDHouse 70

Companion

HB 1300 by Lopez, Ray (duplicate)

Subjects

Crimes--Against Persons--General

Crimes--Drugs

Mental Health & Substance Abuse

Military & Veterans

BIRTH & DEATH CERTIFICATES

SUICIDE

VITAL STATISTICS & RECORDS

STATE HEALTH SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF

VETERANS COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 233 words

89R3645 EAS-D

By: Lopez of Bexar
H.B. No. 39

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to information and data regarding the incidence of veteran

deaths in this state.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 193.006, Health and Safety Code, is

amended by amending Subsection (d) and adding Subsection (e) to

read as follows:

(d) When the death certificate of a person to which this

section applies is filed with the vital statistics unit, the

department [ state registrar ] shall submit to [ notify ] the Texas

Veterans Commission deidentified information on the person's:

(1) cause of death;

(2) age;

(3) race;

(4) gender; and

(5) occupation .

(e) Not later than September 1 of each year, the Texas

Veterans Commission shall prepare and submit to the standing

committees of the legislature with primary jurisdiction over

veterans affairs and publish on the commission's Internet website a

written report that contains:

(1) aggregated data based on the information the

commission receives under Subsection (d) for the preceding year;

(2) an evaluation of that data; and

(3) any recommendations for legislative or other

action.

SECTION 2. Not later than September 1, 2026, the Texas

Veterans Commission shall prepare and submit the initial report

required by Section 193.006(e), Health and Safety Code, as added by

this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Valero Energy Corporation PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Valero Energy Corporation PAC

House May 23, 2025

Senate May 21, 2025

Senate May 21, 2025

Senate May 21, 2025

House Apr 15, 2025

House Apr 14, 2025

House Apr 14, 2025

For

On

Companion