New HUB
Story by JOYCELYNE FADOJUTIMI
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock has announced that the state’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program has been overhauled under newly issued emergency rules and reintroduced as Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB) — a program now dedicated exclusively to small businesses owned and operated by veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 20% or higher.
Acting Texas Comptroller Kelly Hancock has announced that the state’s Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) program has been overhauled under newly issued emergency rules and reintroduced as Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB) —a program now dedicated exclusively to small businesses owned and operated by veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 20% or higher.
The emergency rules, filed with the Texas Register and effective immediately, dramatically shrink the program and remove all race- and gender-based preferences. The restructuring brings the program in line with state and federal constitutional requirements and refocuses resources on service-disabled veteran entrepreneurs, consistent with legislative direction set in 2015.
“Our nation’s veterans have always stepped up for us,” Hancock said. “VetHUB is Texas’ way of stepping up for them — cutting red tape, restoring constitutional integrity, and opening doors for the men and women who wore our nation’s uniform. These emergency rules ensure Texas’ state contracting is free from gender or race discrimination and keep the program centered on those who earned this support through their service.”
Under the new framework, businesses previously certified as HUBs based on race, ethnicity, or sex will no longer qualify unless they can show that they are owned and controlled by a service-disabled veteran. The Comptroller’s office will move quickly to revoke outdated certifications and issue new VetHUB certifications. Hancock placed the original HUB program under an administrative freeze in October while the agency conducted a legal review. Additional details about VetHUB, including FAQs for small businesses, are available on the Comptroller’s website.
