Texas Freezes HUB Certifications: Navigating the DEI Crackdown and Procurement Shift. On October 28, 2025, the Texas Comptroller’s office announced the suspension of all new and renewed Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) certifications for state procurement. This action, taken by Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock, was explicitly tied to ensuring the program’s compliance with the U.S. and Texas Constitutions, as well as Governor Greg Abbott’s Executive Order GA-55 banning race- and sex-based preferences (DEI) in state agencies. The freeze immediately impacts thousands of businesses—owned by women, minorities, and disabled veterans—who relied on HUB certification as a crucial "door-opener" for state contracts. We discuss the immediate operational impacts, including how the shrinking HUB roster will make it harder for agencies and prime contractors to meet outreach and subcontracting targets, threatening to skew contract awards toward established large incumbents.