Eddie Morales Files Bill To Ban Border Walls On Texas State Park Land
State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. of Eagle Pass filed House Bill 111, which would bar state and local governments from allowing border walls or fences on Texas state park property.
EAGLE PASS, Texas – State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. of Eagle Pass filed a bill Monday Nov. 9 that would bar any state or local government in Texas from agreeing to put a border wall, fence or other physical barrier on state park property, according to the bill text posted by the Texas Legislature.
House Bill 111 was among the first bills filed for the 90th Texas Legislature, which opens its regular session in January 2027. Monday was the first day lawmakers could prefile bills, and more than 1,200 bills and resolutions were filed that day, according to the Texas Legislature Online bills by filing date report.
What House Bill 111 Says
The bill would add a new section to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Code titled Border Security Infrastructure On State Park Property Prohibited. It defines border security infrastructure as a wall, fence or other physical barrier designed or adapted to impede the movement of people or objects crossing the Texas-Mexico border, according to the bill text.
Under the bill, a governmental entity could not enter into a lease or other agreement for the installation or construction of that kind of infrastructure on state park property. The bill defines a governmental entity as any state department, commission, board, office or authority, as well as any political subdivision of the state, according to the bill text.
The bill would take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate. Otherwise it would take effect Sept. 1, 2027.
The bill covers state park property only. It does not mention city parks such as Shelby Park in Eagle Pass, national parks or private ranch land.
Senate Companion And A Similar House Bill
State Sen. César Blanco of El Paso filed Senate Bill 273 the same day with the same caption, and the Texas Legislature lists it as an identical companion to House Bill 111, according to the bill history. State Rep. John Bucy III also filed House Bill 293, which would prohibit agreements to use state park property for border security infrastructure or related improvements, according to the filing report.
Morales Has Pushed Back On Border Barriers In Big Bend
Morales represents Texas House District 74, which covers Maverick, Val Verde, Kinney, Terrell, Brewster, Presidio, Jeff Davis, Culberson, Hudspeth, Reeves and part of El Paso County, according to his official X account. In August he posted that his office and a bipartisan group of House members had written to Gov. Greg Abbott again, urging the state to ask the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to halt demolition and construction of border barriers in Big Bend National Park.
“God has blessed this region with a natural border wall,” Morales wrote in that Aug. 13 post. He said there was no need to spend upwards of $7 billion on what he called shady no-bid contracts in a sector that saw less than about 1% of crossings, according to his post.
Post by State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. (@moralesfortexas) on X.
Big Bend National Park is federal land run by the National Park Service, so House Bill 111 would not apply there. The bill would apply to land in the Texas state park system.
At about 10 a.m. Monday, Morales wrote on X, “Texans will fight for our land. #txlege” The post did not name a specific bill.
Post by State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. (@moralesfortexas) on X.
What Happens Next
Prefiled bills are formally referred to committees after the session begins in January. House Bill 111 would need to pass a House committee, the full House, the Senate and then be signed by the governor or allowed to become law without a signature. The Maverick Times will follow the bill as the session gets underway.
Read more: Eagle Pass Rep Eddie Morales Backs Senfronia Thompson For Texas House Speaker
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Sources: House Bill 111 introduced text | Senate Bill 273 introduced text | Texas Legislature Online bill history and bills by filing date report for Nov. 9, 2026 | State Rep. Eddie Morales Jr. on X (@moralesfortexas)
Photo: Border wall construction in the Rio Grande Valley. U.S. Customs and Border Protection photo.
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