Texas House bill by Rep. Cortez grants adjutant general expanded authority over military facilities

Passed bill authored by State Rep. Philip Cortez seeks to expand the adjutant general’s authority to manage and maintain military armories and facilities, including property control and cooperative agreements, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the House, 60 Democrats and 79 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while three Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the Senate, 10 Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor, while one Democrat voted against it.

Philip Cortez introduced the bill in the Texas House on Friday, March 14, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Cortez graduated from Palo Alto Community College in 2000 with an AA and again in 2002 from the University of Texas with a BA.

Cortez, a Democrat, was elected to the Texas State House in 2017 to represent the state’s 117th House district, replacing previous state representative Rick Galindo.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to certain authorities of the adjutant general for procurement and construction’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, the bill grants the adjutant general of Texas expanded authority over military forces and facilities within the state, empowering them to prioritize and manage construction, renovation, repair, and maintenance of military armories and facilities. The adjutant general is designated as a public authority with the power to acquire, control, and manage property and equipment associated with these facilities. Additionally, the adjutant general can execute cooperative agreements with the National Guard Bureau and other governmental or quasi-governmental agencies. They are also permitted to delegate their authority as needed. The law will become effective Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill was co-authored by Rep. Josey Garcia (Democrat – District 124).

The bill received its final legislative approval on Monday, May 26, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.