HB1875

Regular Session

Relating to a study by the General Land Office regarding veterans cemeteries in this state.

LowStandard timeline

Low Cost

Effective:2025-06-20

Enforcing Agencies

General Land Office • Texas Veterans Commission

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

Effective Date: June 20, 2025
Compliance Deadline: N/A (This is an agency directive, not a private sector mandate).
Agency Rulemaking: No immediate rulemaking is authorized. However, the GLO must submit a report by April 1, 2026. Expect the findings to trigger rulemaking or Requests for Proposals (RFPs) in late 2026 regarding maintenance standards and site selection.

Immediate Action Plan

Calendar the Report: Set a reminder for April 1, 2026, to review the GLO’s legislative report immediately upon release.
Engage Government Affairs: Direct your representatives to contact the GLO and TVC within the next 60 days to offer industry data regarding burial wait times and maintenance standards; ensure your business interests are represented in the study's data set.
Prepare Business Development: Construction and facilities maintenance firms should prepare capability statements focused on cemetery management to respond quickly if the report recommends outsourcing maintenance operations.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

No immediate amendments required. However, vendors holding current Master Service Agreements (MSAs) for groundskeeping, facilities maintenance, or construction with the GLO or Texas Veterans Commission (TVC) must prepare for performance reviews. The study’s focus on "operational needs" implies an audit of current vendor efficiency.

Hiring/Training

No changes required. Funeral directors and cemetery operators should maintain current licensure and training protocols.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

No mandatory filings. However, funeral homes and private cemetery operators should voluntarily aggregate data regarding delays, transport logistical failures, or families turned away due to geographic distance. This data will be critical if the GLO solicits industry feedback to define "obstacles to access."

Fees & Costs

None. The Legislative Budget Board anticipates no fiscal impact to the state, meaning no new levies or fee increases are authorized by this specific bill.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

The legislation leaves two critical terms undefined, which the GLO will interpret during the study period:

1. "Operational Needs": It is unclear if this refers strictly to physical infrastructure (requiring construction contracts) or service delivery (requiring management contracts). If the GLO interprets this broadly, it could lead to the privatization of maintenance for state-run cemeteries.
2. "Obstacles": The GLO must identify obstacles to burial access. If "obstacles" are defined as geographic distance, anticipate future land acquisition RFPs in underserved regions. If defined as administrative processing, anticipate future digital integration requirements for funeral directors.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

TopicsCemeteries Military & Veterans General Land Office Veterans Commission, Texas Interim Studies

Official Analysis

View HRO Analysis View All Bill Documents

BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1875

By: Lopez, Janie

Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The bill author has informed the committee that some families of veterans must travel long distances to visit their loved ones' graves due to the limited number of veterans cemeteries in Texas, with some regions lacking any such cemeteries at all. H.B. 1875 seeks to address this issue by directing the General Land Office to study the obstacles preventing veterans from being buried closer to home and explore solutions for establishing new veterans cemeteries across the state.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 1875 requires the General Land Office (GLO), in coordination with the Texas Veterans Commission, to study obstacles Texas veterans face in accessing a burial plot in a veterans cemetery in Texas and opportunities to address the operational needs of veterans cemeteries in Texas, including locations, maintenance, and other operational needs of veterans cemeteries. Not later than April 1, 2026, the GLO must submit to the lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and chairs of the house and senate committees with primary jurisdiction over veterans affairs a written report summarizing the results of the study and providing recommendations for legislative or other action. The bill's provisions expire September 1, 2027.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

Senate Sponsors

Sen. Peter FloresRepublican · Primary Sponsor

Cosponsors (3)

Bill Text(with markup)

H.B. No. 1875

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

	AN ACT
	relating to a study by the General Land Office regarding veterans
	cemeteries in this state.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1. (a) The General Land Office in coordination with
	the Texas Veterans Commission shall study:
	(1) obstacles veterans in this state face in accessing
	a burial plot in a veterans cemetery in this state; and
	(2) opportunities to address the operational needs of
	veterans cemeteries in this state, including locations,
	maintenance, and other operational needs of veterans cemeteries.
	(b) Not later than April 1, 2026, the General Land Office
	shall submit to the lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of
	representatives, and chairs of the house and senate committees with
	primary jurisdiction over veterans affairs a written report
	summarizing the results of the study conducted under this Act and
	providing recommendations for legislative or other action.
	(c) This Act expires September 1, 2027.
	SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD
Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 89TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION


March 27, 2025

TO:	Honorable Cole Hefner, Chair, House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs

FROM:	Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board

IN RE:	HB1875 by Lopez, Janie (Relating to a study by the General Land Office regarding veterans cemeteries in this state.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

It is assumed that any costs associated with the bill could be absorbed using existing resources.

Local Government Impact

No significant fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

305 General Land Office and Veterans' Land Board, 403 Veterans Commission

LBB Staff:

JMc, MGol, MW, JDio

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Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB1875

What does Texas HB1875 do?

HB1875 directs the General Land Office (GLO) to conduct a comprehensive study on the operational needs and accessibility of Texas veterans cemeteries, effective immediately. While this Act imposes no immediate regulatory burden on the private sector, it serves as a precursor to potential procurement opportunities and operational shifts for government contractors, funeral service providers, and land developers in the 2026–2027 cycle. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: June 20, 2025 Compliance Deadline: N/A (This is an agency directive, not a private sector mandate).

Who authored HB1875?

HB1875 was authored by Texas Representative Janie Lopez during the Regular Session.

When was HB1875 signed into law?

HB1875 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Which agencies enforce HB1875?

HB1875 is enforced by General Land Office and Texas Veterans Commission.

How urgent is compliance with HB1875?

The compliance urgency for HB1875 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.

What is the cost impact of HB1875?

The cost impact of HB1875 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

What topics does HB1875 address?

HB1875 addresses topics including cemeteries, military & veterans, general land office, veterans commission, texas and interim studies.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: November 25, 2025

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