Monitoring the Session

HB 4604

more nonprofits can provide service dogs to veterans

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Philip CortezDHouse 117

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 approved nonprofit organizations providing services through the service dog pilot program for certain veterans.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

A second rulebook joins Assistance Dogs International, from September 1, 2025.

The bill changes the rules for which nonprofits the state veterans commission can approve to provide service dogs through its pilot program for certain veterans. Today an approved nonprofit must follow the standards of Assistance Dogs International. The bill adds a second option: a nonprofit can instead follow the standards of another nonprofit with experience training service dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which widens the pool of groups that can qualify starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 12, 2025 and referred to the House Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs subcommittee on Defense & Veterans' Affairs. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4604 · 2025-03-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Philip CortezDHouse 117

ITEM

relating to approved nonprofit organizations providing services through the service dog pilot program for certain veterans.

WHAT IT DOES

A second rulebook joins Assistance Dogs International, from September 1, 2025.

The bill changes the rules for which nonprofits the state veterans commission can approve to provide service dogs through its pilot program for certain veterans. Today an approved nonprofit must follow the standards of Assistance Dogs International. The bill adds a second option: a nonprofit can instead follow the standards of another nonprofit with experience training service dogs under the Americans with Disabilities Act, which widens the pool of groups that can qualify starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker
FILED UNDER

TAXPAYER-FUNDED NGOS

THE TEXT

…“corporations to provide services through the pilot program”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The state pilot program delivers its veteran service dog services through approved nonprofits, and this bill widens which nonprofits can qualify.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Philip Cortez

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$44KTexas Sands PAC$37KPhysicians for Free Market Healthcare PAC$35K

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.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$44,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$44,000.00

Cash
$44,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$44,000.00

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 6, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100985407, 101008363, 101026711, 101035640, 101039466, 101052595, 101071633.

Texas Sands PAC$37,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$37,000.00

Cash
$37,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$37,000.00

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 · Dec 6, 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.

Report IDs: 100985407, 101039466, 101071633.

Physicians for Free Market Healthcare PAC$35,000.00

Physicians for Free Market Healthcare PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 30, 2025 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101026711, 101035640, 101071633.

Money

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

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$44,000.00

Cash
$44,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$44,000.00

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 6, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100985407, 101008363, 101026711, 101035640, 101039466, 101052595, 101071633.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$37,000.00

Cash
$37,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$37,000.00

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 · Dec 6, 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.

Report IDs: 100985407, 101039466, 101071633.

×

Physicians for Free Market Healthcare PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

Also funds 33 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 30, 2025 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2025 to Oct 15, 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: 101026711, 101035640, 101071633.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

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 12, 2025

04/03/2025 H Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker : Apr 3 2025 12:38PM

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

Subjects

Animals

Charitable & Nonprofit Organizations

Disabilities, Persons with

Health--Other Diseases & Medical Conditions

Military & Veterans

Text

The text as introduced · 199 words

89R16357 EAS-F

By: Cortez
H.B. No. 4604

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to approved nonprofit organizations providing services

through the service dog pilot program for certain veterans.

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

SECTION 1. Section 434.029(d), Government Code, as added by

Chapter 587 (H.B. 2951), Acts of the 88th Legislature, Regular

Session, 2023, is amended to read as follows:

(d) The commission shall approve one or more nonprofit

corporations to provide services through the pilot program. The

commission may not approve a nonprofit corporation unless the

corporation:

(1) has demonstrated experience working with veterans

who have experienced post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic

brain injury, or military sexual trauma;

(2) is authorized to conduct business in this state;

(3) is able to provide follow-up services to a veteran

who participates in the pilot program and the veteran's service

dog; and

(4) adheres to the standards of :

(A) Assistance Dogs International ; or

(B) a nonprofit corporation with demonstrated

experience training service dogs in compliance with the

requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42

U.S.C. Section 12101 et seq.) .

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