HB 5638

Garcia Veterans Bill Aims Pilot At Counties Under 2.1 Million

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

Why it's charged

Bracket bill

THE TEXT

…“a county with a population of less than 2.1 million”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The population limits, combined with the next line's requirement of a city over one million, aim the pilot at a very narrow set of counties, possibly just one. The caption admits only 'certain counties' but does not say which ones.

Bracket bill

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 establishing a pilot program to hire assistant veterans county service officers in certain counties.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Plus a city over one million. A very small set of counties, possibly one!

The bill orders the Texas Veterans Commission to run a pilot program that gives grants to one county's veterans service office to hire more assistant veterans county service officers. Only a county with fewer than 2.1 million people that contains a city of more than one million qualifies, so the money goes to a very small set of counties. The commission must sign a grant agreement with monitoring terms and report results by January 1, 2027, and the program expires September 1, 2027.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 14, 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-HB5638 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

ITEM

relating to establishing a pilot program to hire assistant veterans county service officers in certain counties.

WHAT IT DOES

Plus a city over one million. A very small set of counties, possibly one!

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 70%

THE TEXT

…“a county with a population of less than 2.1 million”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

Mar 14, 2025Filed
Apr 7, 2025Read first time
Apr 7, 2025Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker

FILED UNDER

GOVERNMENT GROWTH UNDER A CONSERVATIVE BANNER

THE TEXT

…“the county to hire additional assistant veterans county”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill funds grants for a county office to hire new assistant veterans county service officer positions.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Josey Garcia

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$12K Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10K House Democratic Campaign Committee$7K

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 27, 2024 to Oct 22, 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$11,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$11,500.00

Cash: $11,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $11,500.00

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 5, 2024 to Sep 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: 100978474, 101016612, 101060352, 101067943.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 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: 100978474.

House Democratic Campaign Committee$7,000.00

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101060352.

Money

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

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$11,500.00

Cash: $11,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $11,500.00

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 5, 2024 to Sep 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: 100978474, 101016612, 101060352, 101067943.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$10,000.00

Cash: $10,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $10,000.00

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.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 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: 100978474.

House Democratic Campaign Committee

$7,000.00

Cash: $7,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $7,000.00

Also funds 9 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 3, 2026 to Sep 21, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Apr 30, 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: 101060352.

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 14, 2025

04/07/2025 H Referred to s/c on Defense & Veterans' Affairs by Speaker : Apr 7 2025 5:28PM

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

County Government--Employees/Officers

County Government--General

Military & Veterans

VETERANS COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 263 words

89R15160 CXP-D

By: Garcia of Bexar
H.B. No. 5638

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to establishing a pilot program to hire assistant veterans

county service officers in certain counties.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 434, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 434.0331 to read as follows:

Sec. 434.0331. ASSISTANT VETERANS COUNTY SERVICE OFFICER

PILOT PROGRAM. (a) The commission shall establish and implement a

pilot program in a county with a population of less than 2.1 million

in which a municipality with a population of more than one million

is located to award grants to the veterans county service office in

the county to hire additional assistant veterans county service

officers to provide services as provided by Section 434.035.

(b) The commission shall enter into a written agreement with

a grant recipient specifying the terms of the grant and including

appropriate provisions for program and fiscal monitoring.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2027, the commission shall

prepare and submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of

the house of representatives, and each member of the legislature a

written report on the effectiveness of the pilot program. The

report must include:

(1) the number of:

(A) veterans served under the pilot program; and

(B) claims filed by assistant veterans county

service officers hired under the pilot program; and

(2) the commission's recommendations on whether the

pilot program should be continued, expanded, or terminated.

(d) This section expires September 1, 2027.

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