Sponsors (14)
The bill permanently honors Jocelyn Nungaray and may slightly boost local recognition and tourism, at the cost of modest one-time administrative expenses and potential local controversy, without changing refuge policies.
Families and the local community (including parents and relatives) receive permanent federal recognition of Jocelyn Nungaray through the refuge renaming, preserving their loved one's memory and honoring them publicly.
Local awareness and visitation to the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge may increase, which could modestly support nearby small businesses and local governments through additional tourism spending.
Federal materials and references will be updated so visitors and partner organizations consistently refer to the refuge by its new name, reducing long-term naming confusion in official sources.
Federal and local budgets will incur one-time costs to update signs, maps, brochures, databases, and other materials to reflect the new name.
The renaming could generate local controversy or community division over the circumstances prompting the change, affecting local-government relations and social cohesion.
Short-term confusion for visitors and partner organizations may occur while older references and materials remain in circulation, temporarily complicating navigation and outreach.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge (Texas) as the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge and updates all federal references to the new name.
Renames the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge in Texas as the Jocelyn Nungaray National Wildlife Refuge and directs that all existing federal references to the old name are to be read as references to the new name. The bill also records findings about the 2024 murder of 12-year-old Jocelyn Nungaray and notes a previously issued executive order renaming the refuge in her honor.
Introduced May 5, 2025 by Brian Babin · Last progress May 5, 2025