HB 4774
cemetery trust funds for capital improvements
Died in committee
Verdict: No flags
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 administration of perpetual care trust funds for capital improvements at perpetual care cemeteries.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
Summary
With district court permission, not just upkeep.
The bill lets a perpetual care cemetery corporation ask the local district court for permission to spend perpetual care trust fund distributions on capital improvements, not just upkeep. A judge may approve the request only if the spending will not hurt the cemetery's ability to provide perpetual care and is in the best interest of the cemetery and the families of those buried there. Cemetery corporations gain a court-supervised path to use trust money for building projects starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Pensions, Investments & Financial Services committee on Apr 23, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.
Receipt
The receipt
89R-HB4774 · 2025-03-13
SOLD BY
ITEM
relating to the administration of perpetual care trust funds for capital improvements at perpetual care cemeteries.
WHAT IT DOES
With district court permission, not just upkeep.
The bill lets a perpetual care cemetery corporation ask the local district court for permission to spend perpetual care trust fund distributions on capital improvements, not just upkeep. A judge may approve the request only if the spending will not hurt the cemetery's ability to provide perpetual care and is in the best interest of the cemetery and the families of those buried there. Cemetery corporations gain a court-supervised path to use trust money for building projects 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 19, 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
- Filed
- Read first time
- Referred to Pensions, Investments & Financial Services
- Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
- Considered in public hearing
- Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
- Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Donors
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 · Aug 19, 2024 to Jun 24, 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.
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of TX$5,000.00
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of TX
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Aug 28, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Aug 28, 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: 100968332.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$5,000.00
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · on Jun 24, 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: 101011601.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
Kickapoo Traditional Tribe of TX
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
Also funds 0 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · on Aug 28, 2024. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.
Sources
Derived itemized flow · on Aug 28, 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: 100968332.
Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC
$5,000.00
- Cash
- $5,000.00
- Paid by others
- $0.00
- Total
- $5,000.00
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.
TeamSources
Derived itemized flow · on Jun 24, 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: 101011601.
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 19, 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 13, 2025
04/23/2025 H Left pending in committee
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 · Pensions, Investments & Financial Services · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Cemeteries
Courts--District
Property Interests--Trusts
Text
The text as introduced · 225 words
89R15998 EAS-D By: Smithee H.B. No. 4774 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the administration of perpetual care trust funds for capital improvements at perpetual care cemeteries. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 712.025, Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows: Sec. 712.025. USE OF FUND DISTRIBUTIONS. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), fund [ Fund ] distributions may be used only to provide the perpetual care described by the instrument that established the fund, including the general care and maintenance of the property entitled to perpetual care in the perpetual care cemetery. (b) The corporation for the perpetual care cemetery may petition the district court in the county in which the perpetual care cemetery is located to use fund distributions for making capital improvements to the perpetual care cemetery. The court may grant the petition on a showing that: (1) the use of the fund distributions for the proposed capital improvements will not adversely affect the perpetual care cemetery's ability to provide perpetual care; and (2) the proposed capital improvements are in the best interest of the perpetual care cemetery and the families of those who are buried in the perpetual care cemetery who benefit from the cemetery's perpetual care. SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.