By: Hancock, Hinojosa of Hidalgo S.B. No. 2543
Hinojosa of Nueces
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the amount of certain revenue that may be used for and
the location of state veterans cemeteries.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Sections 164.005(f) and (h), Natural Resources
Code, are amended to read as follows:
(f) The board, the chairman of the Texas Veterans
Commission, and two representatives of the veterans community
selected by the chairman of the Texas Veterans Commission shall:
(1) establish the guidelines for determining:
(A) the location and size of state veterans
cemeteries that are funded by a grant from the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs [veterans cemeteries]; and
(B) the eligibility for burial in a veterans
cemetery; and
(2) select [up to seven] locations across the state
for state veterans cemeteries that are funded by a grant from the
United States Department of Veterans Affairs [veterans
cemeteries].
(h) The board may use [Of the] funds available in the
veterans' land fund, the veterans' housing assistance fund, and the
veterans' housing assistance fund II that may be used for state
veterans cemeteries that are funded by a grant from the United
States Department of Veterans Affairs [veterans cemeteries, the
board may spend not more than $7 million each fiscal year] to plan
and design, operate, maintain, enlarge, or improve state veterans
cemeteries that are funded by a grant from the United States
Department of Veterans Affairs [veterans cemeteries]. The board
may not use funds from the veterans' land fund, the veterans'
housing assistance fund, or the veterans' housing assistance fund
II to acquire land to be used for a veterans cemetery.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.