Texas Senate bill by Sen. West establishes program to designate historic freedmen’s cemeteries

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Royce West aims to raise public awareness and inform landowners about cemeteries containing graves of freed slaves through a designation program approved by both chambers, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the Senate, 10 Democrats and 20 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while one Democrat opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the House, 59 Democrats and 81 Republicans voted in favor, with no opposing votes.

Royce West introduced the bill in the Texas Senate on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024, ahead of the official start of the 89th regular legislative session on Jan. 14, 2025.

West graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington with a BA and again from University of Houston with an MA.

West, a Democrat, was elected to the Texas State Senate in 1993 to represent the state’s 23rd Senate district, replacing previous state senator Eddie Bernice Johnson.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to establishing the Historic Texas Freedmen’s Cemetery Designation Program; authorizing a fee’.

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

In essence, the bill establishes the Historic Texas Freedmen’s Cemetery Designation Program, designed to raise public awareness and inform landowners about cemeteries containing graves of freed slaves. It sets eligibility criteria for cemeteries, requiring at least one grave of a freed slave, and allows individuals to apply for designation. The Texas Historical Commission will review applications, approve or deny them, and provide notice to relevant properties. Approved cemeteries can be recognized with a purchasable medallion. The commission may charge a maximum application fee of $25 and must develop accompanying rules and an application form by June 1, 2026. The act becomes effective Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill was co-authored by Sen. Borris Miles (Democrat – District 13).

The bill received its final legislative approval on Thursday, May 22, 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.