Texas Promise Tracker

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Cole Hefner

R party: source
Legislature · Texas House · HD 005

Won Nov 3, 2026 re-election (unofficial).

Not yet reviewed

Official site Roster source
100%kept rate
2 / 2kept / rated · LOW SAMPLE
1in progress (not in rate)
3promises tracked
District covers 6 counties (TLC district-by-county report PLANH2316)

Camp, Rains, Smith active, Titus, Upshur active, Wood active

Promises (3) Donors Foreign-link leads (1) Positions & flips
Kept: 2In progress: 1

Restrict land ownership in Texas by hostile foreign adversaries, including China, Iran, and North Korea.

Kept
National security · stated 2024-11-22 · promise source · #167
“We don't want hostile adversaries own and land close to our infrastructure, close to our military bases, controlling our food supply and so those that's a national security issue.”
Stated
2024-11-22 · source
Filed
no dated row
Committee
no dated row
One chamber
no dated row
Signed
2025-06-20 · source
In effect
2025-09-01 · source
Funded & in effect: TLO last action: Effective on 9/1/25.
Linked bills: SB 17 (89R)
Why Kept: On Nov 22, 2024, Hefner told CBS19 that a 2025 priority was banning hostile foreign adversaries from owning land in Texas, citing China, Iran, and North Korea. He was the House sponsor of SB 17 (89R), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities, and chaired the House conferees. TLO last action: signed June 20, 2025, effective Sept 1, 2025. His similar companion was HB 17. The Tyler Morning Telegraph (June 25, 2025) reported he described it as the strongest such bill in the nation. (smith-research, 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC)
History (append-only)
  • 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC · Not yet rated (superseded 2026-11-10 15:40:45) — Newly tracked; not yet reviewed against evidence.
  • 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC · Kept (current) — On Nov 22, 2024, Hefner told CBS19 that a 2025 priority was banning hostile foreign adversaries from owning land in Texas, citing China, Iran, and North Korea. He was the House sponsor of SB 17 (89R), relating to the purchase or acquisition of an interest in real property by certain aliens or foreign entities, and chaired the House conferees. TLO last action: signed June 20, 2025, effective Sept 1, 2025. His similar companion was HB 17. The Tyler Morning Telegraph (June 25, 2025) reported he described it as the strongest such bill in the nation.
  • 2024-11-22 · step Stated (superseded) — source — Promise as stated in the cited source.
  • 2025-06-20 · step Passed both/signed (superseded) — source — Signed by the governor June 20, 2025 (TLO).
  • 2025-09-01 · step Funded & in effect (current) — source — TLO last action: Effective on 9/1/25.

Return tax dollars to taxpayers as property-tax relief when the state budget allows.

Kept
Taxes · stated 2024-11-22 · promise source · #168
“We have to pay our teachers, we have to build roads, pay our law enforcement. But when we can, we need to return is return those tax dollars back to the taxpayer in the form of tax relief.”
Stated
2024-11-22 · source
Filed
no dated row
Committee
no dated row
One chamber
no dated row
Signed
2025-06-16 · source
In effect
2025-11-04 · source
Funded & in effect: Proposition 13 approved Nov 4, 2025. Article 1 took effect on the official canvass.
Linked bills: SB 4 (89R)
Why Kept: On Nov 22, 2024, Hefner told CBS19 that property taxes would be a major 2025 priority and that surplus dollars should be returned as tax relief when the budget allows. He is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 4 (89R), which increased the school-district residence-homestead exemption, contingent on SJR 2. TLO: signed June 16, 2025. Voters approved 2025 Proposition 13 (SJR 2) on Nov 4, 2025, raising the exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. This is a delivered piece of tax relief, not a repeal of all local tax burden. (smith-research, 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC)
History (append-only)
  • 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC · Not yet rated (superseded 2026-11-10 15:40:45) — Newly tracked; not yet reviewed against evidence.
  • 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC · Kept (current) — On Nov 22, 2024, Hefner told CBS19 that property taxes would be a major 2025 priority and that surplus dollars should be returned as tax relief when the budget allows. He is listed as a House cosponsor of SB 4 (89R), which increased the school-district residence-homestead exemption, contingent on SJR 2. TLO: signed June 16, 2025. Voters approved 2025 Proposition 13 (SJR 2) on Nov 4, 2025, raising the exemption from $100,000 to $140,000. This is a delivered piece of tax relief, not a repeal of all local tax burden.
  • 2024-11-22 · step Stated (superseded) — source — Promise as stated in the cited source.
  • 2025-06-16 · step Passed both/signed (superseded) — source — Signed by the governor June 16, 2025 (TLO). Article 1 waited on voter approval of SJR 2.
  • 2025-11-04 · step Funded & in effect (current) — source — Proposition 13 approved Nov 4, 2025. Article 1 took effect on the official canvass.

Demand that Congress reimburse Texas for at least $11 billion spent securing the southern border.

In progress
Immigration · stated 2025-01 · promise source · #169
Stated
2025-01 · source
Filed
2025-03-05 · source
Committee
One chamber
Signed
In effect
Bill filed: Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs, March 5, 2025 (the dated TLO action available in this pass). Contemporary reporting placed the filing in January 2025. No later TLO action; 89th Regular Session ended without passage.
Stalled no milestone activity in 6 months
Linked bills: HCR 51 (89R)
Why In progress: Hefner filed HCR 51 (89R), demanding that Congress reimburse Texas for southern-border security costs, described in contemporary reporting as at least $11 billion for Operation Lone Star. He is the sole House author. TLO last action is March 5, 2025: referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs; committee status remains In committee. The 89th Regular Session adjourned without passage. The promise is not rated Broken solely because one session ended; it can be refiled in the 90th. It is stalled: no TLO action after referral. (smith-research, 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC)
History (append-only)
  • 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC · Not yet rated (superseded 2026-11-10 15:40:45) — Newly tracked; not yet reviewed against evidence.
  • 2026-11-10 15:40:45 UTC · In progress (current) — Hefner filed HCR 51 (89R), demanding that Congress reimburse Texas for southern-border security costs, described in contemporary reporting as at least $11 billion for Operation Lone Star. He is the sole House author. TLO last action is March 5, 2025: referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs; committee status remains In committee. The 89th Regular Session adjourned without passage. The promise is not rated Broken solely because one session ended; it can be refiled in the 90th. It is stalled: no TLO action after referral.
  • 2025-01 · step Stated (superseded) — source — Promise as stated in the cited source.
  • 2025-03-05 · step Bill filed (current) — source — Referred to Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans' Affairs, March 5, 2025 (the dated TLO action available in this pass). Contemporary reporting placed the filing in January 2025. No later TLO action; 89th Regular Session ended without passage.