The only duty is to write a plan, so any actual display waits on a later decision. The bill orders planning instead of putting the documents on display.
A plan for the Travis letter, Declaration and Constitution. The actual display? Optional!
The bill orders the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to draw up a plan for displaying the Travis victory or death letter, the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Texas Constitution in the Capitol Complex. It involves the commission, the State Preservation Board, other agencies that hold historical documents, and the legislative committees that get a copy of the plan. Nothing is required to go on display; the only firm result is a plan due by December 1, 2027, and the section expires in 2031.
Labels
Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Will Metcalf (R) in the House. Lead sponsor Judith Zaffirini (D) in the Senate. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 6, 2025. Died in the Senate: left pending in the Economic Development committee.
relating to the display of certain historical documents in the
Capitol Complex.
WHAT IT DOES
A plan for the Travis letter, Declaration and Constitution. The actual display? Optional!
The bill orders the Texas State Library and Archives Commission to draw up a plan for displaying the Travis victory or death letter, the Texas Declaration of Independence, and the Texas Constitution in the Capitol Complex. It involves the commission, the State Preservation Board, other agencies that hold historical documents, and the legislative committees that get a copy of the plan. Nothing is required to go on display; the only firm result is a plan due by December 1, 2027, and the section expires in 2031.
The only duty is to write a plan, so any actual display waits on a later decision. The bill orders planning instead of putting the documents on display.
There would be an indeterminate cost to the state dependent on the specific parameters and type of encasements used to house the three historical documents outlined in the bill.
LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.
Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
HISTORY
Filed
Read first time
Referred to Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Considered in public hearing
Committee substitute considered in committee
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Left pending in committee
Considered in public hearing
Committee substitute considered in committee
Reported favorably as substituted
Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
Committee report distributed
Committee report sent to Calendars
Considered in Calendars
Placed on General State Calendar
Read 2nd time
Amended 1-Metcalf and Harris
Passed to engrossment as amended
Read 3rd time
Passed
Record vote RV#1457
Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
Reported engrossed
Received from the House
Read first time
Referred to Economic Development
Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Considered in public hearing
Left pending in committee
FILED UNDER
No verified beat found.
SIGNED FOR BY
House · 147 yea · 0 nay
Sources
House: Final passage · May 6, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
There would be an indeterminate cost to the state dependent on the specific parameters and type of encasements used to house the three historical documents outlined in 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.
House committee · Culture, Recreation & Tourism · Committee vote 6 aye, 0 nay, 3 absent · Out of committee
Senate committee · Economic Development · Final status: Died in committee
Subjects
Historic Preservation & Museums
ALAMO, THE
STATE CAPITOL BUILDING & GROUNDS
HISTORICAL COMMISSION, TEXAS
STATE LIBRARY & ARCHIVES COMMISSION, TEXAS
STATE PRESERVATION BOARD
Text
The text as introduced · 205 words
89R18107 LRM-D
By: Metcalf
H.B. No. 5032
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the display of certain historical documents in the
Capitol Complex.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter L, Chapter 441, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 441.206 to read as follows:
Sec. 441.206. PLAN TO DISPLAY HISTORICAL DOCUMENTS IN
CAPITOL COMPLEX. (a) The commission, in collaboration with the
State Preservation Board and other state agencies responsible for
the care and custody of historical documents and as the commission
determines appropriate, shall develop a plan to display in the
Capitol Complex the following documents:
(1) the victory or death letter written by Lieutenant
Colonel William Barret Travis dated February 24, 1836;
(2) the Texas Declaration of Independence; and
(3) the Texas Constitution.
(b) Not later than December 1, 2027, the commission shall:
(1) develop the plan as described by Subsection (a);
(2) publish the plan on the commission's Internet
website; and
(3) provide a copy of the plan to the standing
committees of each house of the legislature that have jurisdiction
over the state's historical resources.
(c) This section expires September 1, 2031.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
