Monitoring the Session

HB 5639

bill creating veteran housing for prison inmates

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124

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 a veteran housing program established by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Honorably discharged, 180 days of active duty, their own cellblocks.

The bill orders the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to set up a housing program for inmates who are honorably discharged veterans with at least 180 days of active duty. The prison system must set aside certain cellblocks or dormitories, check veteran eligibility at intake, and let qualifying inmates choose to move into that housing. The prison can keep out any inmate it judges a safety risk, and it can fill the veteran units with non-veterans when needed.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 4982 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 4982 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 2 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 10, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Veteran Affairs committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5639 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Rep. Josey GarciaDHouse 124 Rep. Terry M. WilsonRHouse 20 Rep. Tony TinderholtRHouse 94

ITEM

relating to a veteran housing program established by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

WHAT IT DOES

Honorably discharged, 180 days of active duty, their own cellblocks.

The bill orders the Texas Department of Criminal Justice to set up a housing program for inmates who are honorably discharged veterans with at least 180 days of active duty. The prison system must set aside certain cellblocks or dormitories, check veteran eligibility at intake, and let qualifying inmates choose to move into that housing. The prison can keep out any inmate it judges a safety risk, and it can fill the veteran units with non-veterans when needed.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 2, 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

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Corrections
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Left pending in committee
  10. Considered in public hearing
  11. Committee substitute considered in committee
  12. Reported favorably as substituted
  13. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  14. Committee report distributed
  15. Committee report sent to Calendars
  16. Considered in Calendars
  17. Placed on General State Calendar
  18. Read 2nd time
  19. Passed to engrossment
  20. Record vote RV#1953
  21. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  22. Read 3rd time
  23. Passed
  24. Record vote RV#2036
  25. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  26. Reported engrossed
  27. Received from the House
  28. Read first time
  29. Referred to Vet Affairs
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 93 yea · 36 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 10, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Josey Garcia

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$12KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$10KHouse 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.

Votes2

House May 10, 2025

Yea
93
Nay
36
Present, not voting
2
Absent
4
Excused
15
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2036

HB 5639 was passed by (Record 2036): 93 Yeas, 36 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 93 (published)
  • Nay: 36 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 15 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 9, 2025

Yea
84
Nay
47
Present, not voting
2
Absent
10
Excused
7
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 1953

CSHB 5639 was passed to engrossment by (Record 1953): 84 Yeas, 47 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 84 (published)
  • Nay: 47 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 10 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses6
For
5
Against
0
On
1
Names

For

  • Self2 registrations
  • Self; TX C.U.R.E., Inc.1 registration
  • Texas Civil Rights Project1 registration
  • Texas Prisons Community Advocates1 registration

On

  • TDCJ1 registration
Sources

6 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 2, 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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 4982

by Rep. Garcia, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Mar 23, 2023: Referred to Corrections

Relating to a veteran housing program established by the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 14, 2025

05/19/2025 S Referred to Vet Affairs

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Corrections · Committee vote 5 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Veteran Affairs · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Corrections--Jails & Prisons

Military & Veterans

CRIMINAL JUSTICE, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 297 words

89R15971 MCF-D

By: Garcia of Bexar
H.B. No. 5639

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to a veteran housing program established by the Texas

Department of Criminal Justice.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 501, Government Code, is

amended by adding Section 501.115 to read as follows:

Sec. 501.115. VETERAN HOUSING PROGRAM. (a) The department

shall establish a housing program for inmates who are veterans who

served not less than 180 days on active duty in the United States

armed forces and were honorably discharged.

(b) The program established under Subsection (a) must:

(1) dedicate certain cellblocks or dormitories for use

in the program; and

(2) include procedures to:

(A) verify the eligibility of each inmate during

the diagnostic process; and

(B) allow an inmate who is a veteran described by

Subsection (a) to opt in to the housing dedicated for use in the

program under Subdivision (1).

(c) In housing inmates under the program established under

Subsection (a), the department:

(1) shall comply with the requirements of Section

501.112; and

(2) may not house an inmate in a cellblock or dormitory

dedicated for use in the program if the department determines that

housing the inmate in the cellblock or dormitory would jeopardize

the safety or security of other inmates or staff.

(d) A cellblock or dormitory dedicated for use in the

program under Subsection (b)(1) may, if necessary, be used to house

inmates who are not veterans described by Subsection (a).

SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date

of this Act, the Texas Department of Criminal Justice shall

establish the program required by Section 501.115, Government Code,

as added by this Act.

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