HB 4247

Metcalf Bill Makes Destroying A Flag A State Jail Felony

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

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 increasing the criminal penalty for destruction of a flag.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Up from a Class A misdemeanor. Same conduct, felony punishment, starting September 1, 2025.

The bill raises the penalty for the existing Texas offense of destroying a flag, found in Section 42.11 of the Penal Code, from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony. It touches anyone who would be prosecuted under that section. Starting September 1, 2025, conduct covered by that section carries felony-level punishment instead of misdemeanor punishment, while earlier conduct stays under the old law.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House State Affairs committee on Apr 14, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4247 · 2025-03-10

SOLD BY

Rep. Will MetcalfRHouse 16

ITEM

relating to increasing the criminal penalty for destruction of a flag.

WHAT IT DOES

Up from a Class A misdemeanor. Same conduct, felony punishment, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 11, 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 10, 2025Filed
Mar 31, 2025Read first time
Mar 31, 2025Referred to State Affairs
Apr 14, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 14, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 14, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 14, 2025Left pending in committee

FILED UNDER

SPEECH AND LAWFARE

THE TEXT

“An offense under this section is a state jail felony”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill raises the punishment for destroying a flag, which is expressive conduct, from a misdemeanor to a felony.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Will Metcalf

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$150K Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$54K Dustin Burrows Campaign$45K

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 · Nov 7, 2024 to Oct 19, 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$149,922.40

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$149,922.40

Cash: $70,000.00
Paid by others: $79,922.40
Total: $149,922.40

advertising $37,500.00polling $27,750.00mail $14,372.40fundraiser $300.00

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 · Nov 8, 2024 to Aug 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: 100982185, 100998989, 101030949, 101035543, 101059927, 101068041.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund$54,402.88

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$54,402.88

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $54,402.88
Total: $54,402.88

television $52,000.00text $1,402.88digital $1,000.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Jan 27, 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: 100998989, 101034987, 101035543.

Dustin Burrows Campaign$45,000.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$45,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $10,000.00
Total: $45,000.00

polling $10,000.00

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 · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 26, 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: 101030949, 101035543.

Money

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

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$149,922.40

Cash: $70,000.00
Paid by others: $79,922.40
Total: $149,922.40

advertising $37,500.00polling $27,750.00mail $14,372.40fundraiser $300.00

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 · Nov 8, 2024 to Aug 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: 100982185, 100998989, 101030949, 101035543, 101059927, 101068041.

Associated Republicans of Texas Campaign Fund

$54,402.88

Cash: $0.00
Paid by others: $54,402.88
Total: $54,402.88

television $52,000.00text $1,402.88digital $1,000.00

Also funds 20 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Jan 27, 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: 100998989, 101034987, 101035543.

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$45,000.00

Cash: $35,000.00
Paid by others: $10,000.00
Total: $45,000.00

polling $10,000.00

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 · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 26, 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: 101030949, 101035543.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 11, 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 10, 2025

04/14/2025 H Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · State Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Criminal Procedure--Sentencing & Punishment

FLAGS

Text

The text as introduced · 160 words

89R2844 CJD-D

By: Metcalf
H.B. No. 4247

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to increasing the criminal penalty for destruction of a

flag.

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

SECTION 1. Section 42.11(d), Penal Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(d) An offense under this section is a state jail felony

[ Class A misdemeanor ].

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was

committed before that date.

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