Monitoring the Session

HB 4053

bill lifting the cap on state veterans cemeteries

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Cole HefnerRHouse 5

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the location of and the amount of certain revenue that may be used for state veterans cemeteries.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The seven-location cap goes away. So does the $7M yearly limit.

The bill removes the cap of seven state veterans cemetery locations and removes the $7 million yearly spending limit on veterans fund money used for those cemeteries. It touches the land board, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the veterans land and housing assistance funds. On the ground, the state can pick more cemetery sites and spend more of those fund dollars each year to plan, run, maintain, or expand cemeteries, though the money still cannot buy land.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4053 · 2025-03-07

SOLD BY

Rep. Cole HefnerRHouse 5

ITEM

relating to the location of and the amount of certain revenue that may be used for state veterans cemeteries.

WHAT IT DOES

The seven-location cap goes away. So does the $7M yearly limit.

The bill removes the cap of seven state veterans cemetery locations and removes the $7 million yearly spending limit on veterans fund money used for those cemeteries. It touches the land board, the Texas Veterans Commission, and the veterans land and housing assistance funds. On the ground, the state can pick more cemetery sites and spend more of those fund dollars each year to plan, run, maintain, or expand cemeteries, though the money still cannot buy land.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 18, 2025

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the amount of funds that would be made available for any new state cemetery construction and operation from federal funds, legislative appropriations, or disbursements from the Veterans' Land Fund, the Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund, and the Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund II for the planning, operation, or maintenance of veterans' cemeteries are unknown. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker
  4. Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
  5. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  6. Committee substitute considered in s/c
  7. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  8. Left pending in subcommittee
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Cole Hefner

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$108KDustin Burrows Campaign$46KGulf States Toyota Inc. State PAC$20K

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 · Oct 28, 2024 to Oct 24, 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$107,878.12

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$107,878.12

Cash
$65,000.00
Paid by others
$42,878.12
Total
$107,878.12
mail $42,794.79fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 17, 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.

Report IDs: 100986158, 101009093, 101035205, 101069686.

Dustin Burrows Campaign$46,150.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$46,150.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$21,150.00
Total
$46,150.00
polling $21,150.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 2025 to Jan 6, 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.

Report IDs: 101009093, 101031796.

Gulf States Toyota Inc. State PAC$20,000.00

Gulf States Toyota Inc. State PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 90 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 12, 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.

Report IDs: 100986158, 101009093, 101035205, 101069686.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$107,878.12

Cash
$65,000.00
Paid by others
$42,878.12
Total
$107,878.12
mail $42,794.79fundraiser $83.33

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 17, 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.

Report IDs: 100986158, 101009093, 101035205, 101069686.

×

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$46,150.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$21,150.00
Total
$46,150.00
polling $21,150.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 30, 2025 to Jan 6, 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.

Report IDs: 101009093, 101031796.

×

Gulf States Toyota Inc. State PAC

$20,000.00

Cash
$20,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$20,000.00

Also funds 90 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 12, 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.

Report IDs: 100986158, 101009093, 101035205, 101069686.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 18, 2025

The fiscal implications of the bill cannot be determined because the amount of funds that would be made available for any new state cemetery construction and operation from federal funds, legislative appropriations, or disbursements from the Veterans' Land Fund, the Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund, and the Veterans' Housing Assistance Fund II for the planning, operation, or maintenance of veterans' cemeteries are unknown. The bill would make no appropriation but could provide the legal basis for an appropriation of funds to implement the provisions of the bill.

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 7, 2025

04/22/2025 H Left pending in subcommittee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2543 by Hancock (identical)

Subjects

Cemeteries

Military & Veterans

State Finances--Management & Control

VETERANS' LAND BOARD

Text

The text as introduced · 227 words

89R15676 CS-D

By: Hefner
H.B. No. 4053

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the location of and the amount of certain revenue that

may be used for state veterans cemeteries.

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

SECTION 1. Sections 164.005(f) and (h), Natural Resources

Code, are amended to read as follows:

(f) The board, the chairman of the Texas Veterans

Commission, and two representatives of the veterans community

selected by the chairman of the Texas Veterans Commission shall:

(1) establish the guidelines for determining:

(A) the location and size of veterans cemeteries;

and

(B) the eligibility for burial in a veterans

cemetery; and

(2) select [ up to seven ] locations across the state

for veterans cemeteries.

(h) The board may use [ Of the ] funds available in the

veterans' land fund, the veterans' housing assistance fund, and the

veterans' housing assistance fund II that may be used for veterans

cemeteries[ , the board may spend not more than $7 million each

fiscal year ] to plan and design, operate, maintain, enlarge, or

improve veterans cemeteries. The board may not use funds from the

veterans' land fund, the veterans' housing assistance fund, or the

veterans' housing assistance fund II to acquire land to be used for

a veterans cemetery.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.