Like TURF
Follow TURF2025 (89th legislative session)
Session Wrap-Up:
- Texas lawmakers pass first Right to Repair bill in red state, other priorities unsuccessful (Failed to pass toll relief, didn't stop the kill switch, or road diets in Texas)
- No progress curbing tolls, but expansion stymied by grassroots
- BRAVE NEW WORLD: Driverless Autonomous Vehicles unleashed in Texas
Helpful resources:
- TURF Legislative Priorities for 89th Session (with bill numbers/authors, action items)
Web Resources:
TURF BILLS:
SB 381 (Middleton, Hall) / HB 2547 (Cain) - To protect Texas drivers from Biden's federally-mandated remote kill switch being forced into all cars after 2026. SB 381 will prevent vehicle manufacturers at the behest of big government from installing or enabling remote kill switch in Texas vehicles. Any vehicle with remote kill switch technology would not be able to be legally registered in Texas, and the dealer who sells a car with such technology in it could lose their license to sell. (Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority #8 Ending Overreach & RPT Platform Plank #49)
HB 1074 (Schatzline) - Dubbed the 'Right to Drive Act,' which includes protection from vehicles with remote kill switch, right to own/drive a gas powered car, right to drive in a vehicle with human decision-making (vs being forced into autonomous vehicle), and right to repair (will be included in committee substitute). Right to Repair addresses a critical component of our ability to maintain freedom of movement. Auto makers now wish to sell you software, not hardware. Manufacturers are designing vehicles with planned obsolescence, like your computer or iPhone, where they just won't support the replacements parts which forces you to buy a new car. Except now you’ve paid tens of thousands for the vehicle, and either a corporation or the government can stop you from using it. Right to repair ensures that we are able to hire independent professionals to repair our vehicles rather than being forced to pay astronomical prices to manufacturers or dealers to repair. (Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority #8 Ending Overreach & RPT Platform Plank #49)
SB 1993 (Hall) / HB 4348 (Capriglione) - To prevent local governments from shrinking the number of lanes available to vehicles on our roadways, commonly known as a 'road diet.' Mayors and local officials in many Texas cities have even declared their intentions to create road scarcity in order to force drivers out of their cars and into mass transit, walking or biking. Road space is being hijacked and handed over to dedicated bus and bike lanes, jutting curbs, and sidewalks -- shrinking or removing the number of lanes available to cars in the process. This bill would protect drivers from the creation of road scarcity and intentional congestion. (Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority #8 Ending Overreach & RPT Platform Plank #49)
SB 2748 (Hall) / HB 4555 (Curry) / SB 2428 (Hall) / HB 2963 (Capriglione) - Right to Repair bills: The first two apply to vehicles only, the second two are more comprehensive and apply to most electronics. Right to Repair addresses a critical component of our ability to maintain freedom of movement. Auto makers now wish to sell you software, not hardware. Manufacturers are designing vehicles with planned obsolescence, like your computer or iPhone, where they just won't suport the replacements parts which forces you to buy a new car. Except now you’ve paid tens of thousands for the vehicle, and either a corporation or the government can stop you from using it. Right to repair ensures that we are able to hire independent professionals to repair our vehicles rather than being forced to pay astronomical prices to manufacturers or dealers to repair. (Republican Party of Texas Legislative Priority #8 Ending Overreach & RPT Platform Plank #199)
SB 2324 (Paxton, Hall, Kolkhorst, Middleton) / HB 2323(Shaheen) / HB 2948 (Lowe) - Remove the toll when the road is paid for, ends the practice of combining toll projects together into one financial system using ‘system financing,’ gimmick used to keep pushing out the pay-off date by endlessly expanding the toll system with new extensions and new toll roads in order to be able to claim no toll road is ever paid for. Think of it like taking out a second mortgage on your house over and over again so that it's never paid off. Perpetual tolling violates the Texas Constitution Art. I, Sec. 26 that prohibits perpetuities. (Republican Party of Texas Platform Plank #51)
SB 137 (Hall, Middleton) / HB 1333 (Harrison) - Toll billing/collection reform, creates uniform, more transparent billing practices, caps excessive fines and fees at $48/yr, and de-criminalizes an unpaid toll bill so toll agencies would no longer have the ability to block your vehicle registration and impound your car.
SB 756 (Middleton) / HB 4907 (Rodriguez Ramos) - Removes the criminal penalty for an unpaid toll so toll agencies would no longer have the ability to block your vehicle registration and impound your car.
HB 5117 (Hopper) - Autonomous Vehicle liability. When operation of a car is under the control of autonomous driving technology, the manufactuer is liable for collisions.
Bills relating to Toll Roads/Road Taxes:
GOOD -
HJR 164 (Lowe) / HB 4150 (Holt)- A constitutional amendment and enabling legislation to protect Texans from a state mileage tax.
SB 720 (Hall) - Prohibit restricted lanes (ie- HOV lanes, transit only lanes, etc.) from being installed on I-635 in Dallas from US 75 to I-30. (RPT Platform Plank #66 )
HB 3645 (Romero) - To subject toll entities to public information laws, including Comprehensive Development Agreements (CDAs or public private partnership toll roads).
SB 1799 (Middleton) - To re-tool the federal emissions program to reduce it to minimal program only. To reduce time, money, and hassle for drivers in urban areas under EPA's non-attainment requirements.
HB 1864 (Virdell) - Prevent double taxation on cars brought in to Texas from another state where the owner already paid the sales tax on it.
SB 848 (Eckhardt) - Prevents TxDOT from forcing local taxpayers to pay the state for potential or actual losses in toll revenue when local governments expand the free lanes near one of TxDOT's toll roads.
HB 2099 (Plesa) - To charge EV drivers for their draw of electricity off the grid at commerical charging stations. This makes the user pay instead of all taxpayers.
HB 2208 (Bumgarner) - Send toll bills by certified mail. This gives drivers a guarantee that they actually receive their toll bills so they can paid in a timely manner BEFORE they incur unecessary fines and fees fro non-payment.
HB 2262 (Turner) - Make toll entities install dynamic message signs on facitlies where the price changes based on time of day/level of congestion to better disclose toll rates at the time of entrance to the lane and the supposed time savings of takign the toll lanes versus non-toll lane.
HB 2297 (Cunningham) - To suspend the collection of tolls during evacuations.
HB 2552 (Cain) - Removes the toll from a highway that's purchased by the state (TxDOT) when buying back a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) toll road from a private entity.
HB 971 (Toth) - Allow drivers to use HOV lane temporarily to pass slow vehicles.
HB 3973 (Richardson) - Prohibit the TX Commission of Licensing from charging a fee for a license for a parent-taught drivers training program.
HB 4300 (Shaheen) - Exempt cars given as gifts from sales tax.
SB 2755 (Kolkhorst) / SB 2806 (Hagenbuch) - Uninsured motorists would not be able to seek damages. You don't follow the law and purchase insurance coverage, you don't get to sue for damages when you get in an accident. Hagenbuch bill would prohibit seeking non-economic damages if in collision without insurance.
HB 3019 (Cain) - Block local transit authorities from applying for federal funds without the Governor's approval. Approval conditional on the local government adequately addressing public health risks of public camping at transit stations, etc. In addition, a note of commentary here. There is no demonstrable federal role in funding local transit projects.
SB 1694 (Hall) - To make all EV public charging stations powered by renewable sources of power only. This bill is to force EV advocates/EV owners to rely on the very sources of power they expect everyone else to.
HB 4679 (Perez, Vincent) - Cap toll service fees imposed by rental car companies at $5 - & can't exceed cost of tolls itself.
HB 4472 (Virdell) - Lower trailer registration fees to $20.
HB 2810 (Cain, Cortez, Lujan, LaHood) - Bans photo enforcement for speed violations.
HB 904 & HB 905 (Cain) - To prevent the imposition of tolls on two state highways and the Fairmont Pkwy in the Houston area. The second bill would prohibit tolls being collected on portions of SH 146 & SH 99.
HB 5199 (Zwiener) - To allow an inpact fee on development if the city/county requests a traffic study, fee could be imposed to pay for highway, street construction or safety improvements in cities, counties, or in Municipal Utility District (MUD). This would require those purchasing property in the new development to pay for the traffic impacts those new homes create rather than pass that cost onto the general taxpayers.
NEUTRAL (Our Watch List)-
SB 284 (Miles) / HB 3611 (Curry) - Increasing this fine to $5,000 is a lot. But bandit signs are a huge problem across Texas. Some businesses are clearly overdoing it and its become a nuisance even a public danger. But we need to point out that the courts have ruled public streets and ROW are a traditional public forum and dedicated to public use. We also recognize commercial speech is in a different category. However, cities do allow and even welcome street vendors, food trucks in our ROWs and public streets frequently, they’re just regulated - like getting a permit and paying a small fee and have certain hours they can operate. We caution the legislature to carefully consider the fines and be sure the punishment fits the crime.
The courts have ruled when it comes to the 1st amendment that some regulation can be appropriate but can only limit time, place, and manner. Outside of that, this the people’s right of way, purchased with our tax dollars and it’s long been considered public space for the public’s use. We recognize its already law to prohibit signs in the public ROW. But we don’t like it. We’d like to see the law changed to allow signs where you regulate time, place, and manner such as the length of time they’re allowed to be out, the manner (so perhaps limit how many?), and placement (so that it’s not obstructing). Sell permits. Maybe try the carrot instead of the stick.
BAD -
SB 1074 (Zaffirini) / HB 2876 (Gerdes) - To extend the SH 130 contract an additional 20 years. This would amend the SH 130 Comprehensive Development Agreement (or CDA, known as public private partnership). It would extend the contract and allow the private foreign company to collect tolls for another 20 years. Read more about this egregious contract here. The bill adds insult to injury by requiring the state to use the concession fees the private corporation would pay them for the 20 year exclusive right to gouge Texas drivers with tolls to build more free connectors to get on SH 130 from I-35.
HB 5347 (Metcalf) - At least one lane of non-toll frontage road must be installed adjacent to a new toll facility that's built next to a previously non-tolled highway. While this sounds good at first glance, it would undo the protection we put into law in 2017 that prevents non-tolled higways from being converted into toll roads. This would, in effect, allow an existing freeway to be tolled and leave non-toll frontage lanes as the new non-toll option. A huge DOUBLE TAX scam!
HB 5346 (Metcalf) - To allow charging a toll to be extended by public vote. While this may sound good at first, politicians and the special interests who want toll roads, are very adept at slick ad campaigns to convince voters they should increase taxes. Bottom line is, once the debt is paid off, a road should become a freeway not stay a tollway. This violates the RPT Platform Plank #51 that calls for tolls to be removed once the debt is paid off when a road should become a freeway.
SB 2722 (Bettencourt) / HB 5177 (DeAyala) - To require all toll revenues collected in Harris County to go to fund road projects only, not become a slush fund for non-road projects at the expense of toll road users (as is currently the case). We'd like to see our toll cessation bill pass (SB 2324/HB2323/HB 2948) which applies to ALL toll entities to use all surplus revenues to pay off toll road debt faster so tolls could be removed faster. Allowing these toll authorities the ability to keep tolls on a road in order to use those surplus toll revenues to pay for other roads elsewhere violates truth in taxation and obscures taxpayers' ability to follow the dollar. It also continues the abuse of targeting users on a toll road to pay extra to drive while others get to use their toll taxes to pay for free roads. So while this bill prevents public officials from using toll revenues for non-road purposes, it still contiunues the abuses of stealing from Peter to pay for Paul's roads AND keeps the tolls in place forever.
SB 1769 (Cook) - To authorize a public private partnership (P3) contract for High Speed Rail in Texas. P3s are known as Comprehensive Development Agreements (CDAs) in Texas and mean public money for private profits. We don't need taxpayers subsidzing this money pit. Privately fund it or no deal.
SB 1384 (Eckhardt) / HB 4888 (Canales) - Would allow RMAs to backstop loans for bonds for local government road projects (both tolled and non-tolled). This would unfairly target toll road users to pay for other toll roads and free roads elsewhere.
HB 326 (Lopez) - Would increase the gas tax annually to the highway cost index. This would raise the cost of road building exponentially for taxpayers.
SB 798 (Eckhardt) / HB 3116 (Bucy)- Increase vehicle registration by additional $20/yr to go to Regional Mobility Authorities (RMAs, which are toll authorities). This is a DOUBLE TAXATION scheme to use registration revenues to build toll roads that charge you again to use the road (built with tax money).
HJR 144 (Morales, Eddie) - Creation of Regional Mobility Authority (RMA - a toll authority) by a city (instead of a county as is currently in statute). A longstanding controversy in El Paso over the city wishing to create this new duplicative toll bureaucracy versus the county who does not.
HB 2983 (Cook) - To increase vehicle storage/impoundment fees to the Consumer Price Index (or CPI, which would raise them significantly due to Biden inflation, so this would be a significant jump in fees). This relates to the criminal penalty for unpaid tolls in Texas (a car can be impounded for unpaid tolls), where this increased cost would compound the problem for a driver already struggling to pay off their toll debt and get their car back (so they can get to work to pay their debt).
HB 1589 (Gerdes) - Require a public vote on a toll project. While this may sound good, what authorities will do is withhold funds to fix the road on the ballot until the voters eventually agree (by public vote) to toll it. Even if voters keep voting it down, politcians will just allow the congestion to fester until voters give in. Also, these are segments of state highways that cross multiple jurisdictions/counties. There's no way to fairly call a local vote on tolling various roads that ALL Texans access and use to get around (plus our goods are transported across these roads which will increase our cost of goods even if we don't live in the jurisdiction that has the opportunity to vote on it).
HB 3895 (Lopez) - To require A&M's TTI to study EV remote charging with priority given to toll roads. Big government, overreach, that tilts the scales for EVs getting away from the model of free market (like privately owned and operated gas stations).
TOLL/GAS TAX EXEMPTION BILLS
We're listing the bills to exempt certain governmental entities or classes of people from paying tolls on our bad bill list. While we understand the desire to give certain groups toll tax relief, look at the cumulative effect this would have on the rest of the taxpayers if you're not in that exempted class (like veterans, counties, schools). Anytime we exempt a group from having to pay tolls, that increases the burden on everyone else. Basically, it's the government picking the winners and losers of who pays and who doesn't.
SB 2895 (Cook, Hall, West) - To exempt school buses from paying tolls.
SB 935 (Hall) / SB 677 (Hughes) / HB 1109 (VanDeaver) - To exempt counties from paying gas tax. Remember, the gas tax isn't a local tax, it's a state level tax to pay for the state highway system. So technically speaking, these counties don't want to pay for state highways. Exempting them would pass that cost onto all of us. However, we're still stuck paying the county's gas tax even if this bill gets defeated. Lose-lose for taxpayers.
SB 1256 (Zaffirni) / HB 3821 (Gerdes)- mandate a veteran discount toll program on SH 130 toll road: use toll revenues the state collects to pay for it, rather than pay down the toll debt faster to remove the tolls for all drivers sooner.
HB 3007 (Plesa) - Would expand toll discounts to seniors over 65.
HB 5192 (Villalobos) / SB 1371 (Hinojosa) - Exempt Metropolitan Transit Authorities from paying gas tax.
HB 4226 (Morales Shaw) - Vehicles rented or purchased for a Food Bank would be exempt from paying vehicle sales tax.
HB 4576 (Villalobos) - Motor vehicle exemption from taxes on natural gas if dispsensed by Metropolitan Transit Authorities.
SB 1572 (Birdwell) / HB 3331 (Perez) - To allow an exception of overweight load limits up to 90,000 pounds before having to pay for an overweight truck permit for trucks hauling steel. The more expections we grant, the more our roads get beat up and that cost passed onto the general taxpayers. Last session, they granted EV trucks an expemption for additional 2,000 pounds due to the weight of their batteries, they just keep granting these exceptions session adn after session to whoever lobbies them hard enough. Say 'No!'
______________________________
SB 2945 (Hagenbuch / HB 2999 (Harris Davila) - Would increase the weight limitations for hyrdogen powered trucks to allow them to exceed the current legal weight limit, which damages our highways without the parties responsible for that damage from paying for it. This transfers that cost onto the general taxpayer.
HB 884 (Garcia Hernandez) - To allow cities to extend a city sales & use tax for roads and to extend it every 4 or even 8-10 year periods. Our current state gas tax is constitutionally protected from being diverted to non-road purposes. Cities all over Texas have been pushing radical anti-car policies that shrink road capacity for cars and give it to bikes, buses, pedestrians, or green belts. Governor Abbott promised to fix our roads without raising taxes (therefore this bill violates his no new road tax pledge), but this bill could also be weaponized against drivers to intentionally create congestion or to impede the free flow of auto traffic. Tax dollars outside the state gas tax can be used for a variety of anti-car policies. So we worry this bill will not only increase the tax burden by extending road taxes, but also be used for other purposes than general purpose auto lanes.
SJR 33 (Miles) / HJR 63 (Walle) / HJR 58 (Bucy) / HB 542 (Bucy) - To expand use of general revenue (Bucy bill would raid gas taxes for the same purpose) currently constitutionally dedicated to the highway fund to non-road purposes like transit, bike paths, sidewalks, and even transit-oriented development.
HB 4417 (Gamez) - Would use highway funds to build sidewalks for the Safe Routes to Schools Program.
HB 4841 (Anchia) - Cash for clunkers. Would direct tax dollars to owners of older diesel vehicles to subsidize their replacement costs.
HB 1026 (Morales) - To ensure TxDOT maintains a specific highway near the border for 'economic development' and border enforcement. If every lawmaker passed one of these, we'd have no funds to fulfill the mandates. We have funds dispersed by a set formula (based on lane-miles of highway, levels of congestion, etc.) as well as limited discretionary funds (that gives TxDOT flexibility to direct extra funds where the greatest need is). If one lawmaker can come in and disrupt this system, it will set a bad precedent of those who get bills passed get their roads fixed, and those who don't, won't.
SB 1158 (Eckhardt) - While we are not advocates for carve outs and exceptions on tax policy, this will, in effect, increase taxes on natural gas when we're in the middle of an energy crisis by removing a temporary tax freeze on natural gas producers. This would increase home heating costs and power to gas stoves. It's a defacto carbon tax on appliances (that would hit many natural gas powered trucks, too).
SB 794 (Alvarado) / HB 3563 (Paul) - Would allow TxDOT to use construction-manager-at-risk and other methods for choosing a contractor and/or engineer for road projects. Rather than gain efficiency within the Department to improve its project timelines without needing to unecessarly hire outside contractors using complex contracting methods (that can actually slow down project development if the process doesn't run smoothly), it continues to push for overuse of outside firms to do what it has plenty of employees to do in house. Outside contractors cost taxpayers more due to profit, built-in contingency fees, change orders, and the like.
SB 1363 (Nichols) - To impose a tax on marketplace rental cars, like Uber but for rental cars (pairs those wishing to rent out their cars with a driver who needs one). Imposition of a new tax goes against Republican core principles. The argument is rental car companies pay a tax, so therefore so should these marketplace companies who pair private parties for renting cars. However, a gig car renter is not commerical and shouldn't be subject to a new tax. You know the saying, if it moves, tax it. Not good!
SB 2022 (Blanco) - To criminalize unpaid traffic tickets or any fine or fee owed to a county and allow a county to block a driver's vehicle registration (which takes away their ability to drive legally and get to work to make a living). We're criminalizing people for unpaid debts. It's got to stop, not expand.
HB 4379 (Turner) - To impose a new tax on peer to peer car sharing. What's the common saying about Democrats? If it moves, tax it. Let people alone and allow private parties to use one another's cars without government interfeence and forced taxation.
Anti-Car/Big Govt Initiatives vs. Pro-Freedom & Consumer-friendly Protections:
GOOD -
HB 1725 (Hopper) - Removes federal regulations from cars manufactured in Texas. Hence, cars manufactured here wouldn't be subject to federal mandates like the remote kill switch, EV mandates, and bans on gas-powered cars.
HB 146 (Geren, Troxclair) - To give the state jurisdiction over streets near capitol complex. This is to prevent city of Austin from closing Congress Avenue and jamming up traffic downtown and spilling over onto already congested I-35.
HB 684 (Cortez) - To repeal the grandfathered red light camera ticketing systems.
SB 2238 (Bettencourt) / HB 4316 (Bell) - To prevent counties from imposing a fine/fee on certain modes of travel or restricting or prohibiting certain modes of travel within the city (ie - banning/prohibiting gas-powered cars or cars altogether).
HB 4941 (Curry) - Establishes a strategic oil reserve program for the state of Texas to protect availability of sufficient oil & gas to power Texas.
HB 4402 (Gamez) - To require commerical Autonomous Vehicles (AVs) to have a licensed, human driver present during the vehicle's operation.
HB 5436 (Bryant) - Creates a permitting process for Autonomous Vehicles (AVs). Allows AVs to operate without a driver, but only after testing the technology for 3 years with a human driver in the AV. Must collect and report all collision data and non-testing errors to TxDOT. Permit only valid for 3 years. Could not operte an AV without a driver present unless permitted. We don't want any AVs able to operate without human drivers, but this is a good start to regulating them. Today, there is NO regulation and all liability falls to the owner/buyer, not the manufactuer whose technology is driving the car, not the owner.
HB 4880 (Olcott) - To require construction signs to be removed when consturction actviity is temporarily suspended.
HB 408 (Harris Davila) - To prevent Environment, Social, Governance (ESG) from being used as criteria in TxDOT contracts.
HB 5091 (Schofner) - To require radiation warning on all EVs.
SB 2750 (Hall) / HB 4192 (Hayes) - To extend vehicle inspection requirement for vehicles to every 3 years, and every 2 years for trucks.
HB 5033 (Bell, Keith) - To pre-emptively strike all vehicle emmission testing if Congress repeals that section of the Clean Air Act or the US Supreme Court rules states have right to prohibit emmissions testing requirements.
SB 229 (West) - Consumer protections regarding purchase of a vehicle to prevent price increases when buyer uses one's own money or money from a 3rd party loan not affiliated with the dealership. There's been abuses by auto dealers and resellers who gouge consumers with do a bait and switch on pricing when the dealer finds out the buyer has their own source of money and won't be borrowing from the dealer directly.
SB 1153 (Hughes) - To protect commerce during catestrophic event. Prevent TxDOT from closing roads or taking action to inhibit commerce unless state or US President declares a disaster.
HB 1380 & HB 1386 (Virdell) - Only require rear license plate on vehicles.
HB 2601 (Holt) - Allows commerical truck drivers to have moving violations only count against them if the violation occurred while driving the commercial truck (ie - on the job, not while driving their personal vehicles).
HB 5495 (Bhojani) - Protect consumer data to create global consumer privacy setting that acts as default signaling cannot collect, store, sell, or distribute data. Creates civil penalties up to $5,000 for each violation.
NEUTRAL (Our Watch List)-
SB 2899 (Cook) / HB 5391 (Morales Shaw) - Would allow a city, county, or MPO to vote on and compel TxDOT to consider an alternative design for a highway (that is subject to a NEPA review) that takes into consideration past negative impacts of highways in that community. This seems to enshrine Biden's 'Reconnecting Communities' program into Texas law. However, the get out of jail free card in the bill as filed is TxDOT can choose not to do the alternative design if it's deemed unreasonable or frivolous. While feedback from locals is part of the NEPA process already, this seems to be a delay tactic to slow down needed road expansion. We'll be watching this one closely.
HB 5376 (Romero) - This bill would allow a city to restrict travel on a toll road. The aim was to allow a city to step in if a toll operator failed to close down the tollway in bad weather conditions like the ice storm that caused the 133 car pile-up on I-35W. However, the broad lanuage would allow a city to restrict any vehicle from using toll roads, for instance, gas powered cars or single occupancy cars. It doesn't restrict it to weather or other dangerous conditions. We're concerned with the language on this and would need to see it tightened up before we could endorse it.
HB 1839 (Guillen) - To create an iWatch reporting system to report potential crimes to law enforcement. There's a fine line between reporting a crime and a public snitch system.
HB 3837 (Canales) - To regulate the AV industry. We're generally wanting Autonomous Vehicles off the road. This would put in sensible regulation. But we're watching closely to ensure liability does NOT get placed on the owners/operators of the AVs instead of the manufacturers whose technology is reponsible for running the car.
SB 2425 (Nichols) - To regulate Autonomous Vehicle manufacturers & commercial operators. Allow state to license and revoke licenses of bad actors.
HB 3706 (Zwiener) - Allows a tenant to install and EV charger. Our question about this bill is who pays for the electricity bill, tenant or landlord? Who pays for the ongoing maintenance cost once that tenant moves on?
BAD -
HB 2083 (Bucy) - Would create a surveillance state where DPS would install license plate reader cameras to capture driver geolocation data, photographs, vehicle characteristics, and more under the guise of using AI to sort it in real time to flag toll violators, stolen vehicles, and things as broadly worded as 'to control access to a secure area.' They claim they'll only request license plate data from the camera company when they have probable cause, however, this information would be gold for insurance companies and for many other uses. It would most definitely be hacked, weaponized, or abused like all other digital systems. This fundamentally violates our 4th amendment right to not be surveilled by big government without a warrant!
HB 723 (Gervin-Hawkins) - School bus camera photo ticketing scam to catch ANY moving violation caught on camera. Millions of tickets will greet drivers in their mailbox for every minor traffic violation the school bus cameras can capture!
HB 4636 (Hernandez) - To allow Comptroller to sell driver data - geolocation, braking, speed, habits of drivers, etc. as long as there's a disclosure notice listed somewhere.
SB 744 (Campbell) / HB 1282 (Raymond) / HB 3034 (Craddick) - Creates a school bus camera photo ticketing scheme for passing a school bus with the stop arm out and red lights flashing. Most drivers caught in these photo enforcement scams cannot safely stop when the stop arm first comes out. It's mostly unintentional, minor infractions that cost drivers millions every year. Dallas County Schools bus camera ticketing bribery scandal put two people in prison and bankrupted the school bus company. Lawmakers just got rid of red light cameras a few years ago, this would bring them back - but on school buses.
SB 1100 (Flores) - Authorize facial recognition verification system to be used by law enforcement.
HB 3426 (Capriglione) - To authorize digital IDs. These would be vulnerable to hacking, easy to duplicate and commit fraud, and not secure enough to trust it for being a form of ID for voting.
HB 1976 (Canales) - To authorize issuance of digital IDs. Can you say hackable, identity theft?
HB 5300 (Goodwin) - Create 'High Injury Network' project through TX Transportation Institute, keep a report on the 100 Highest Ranking Injury Corridors, allow TxDOT partnering with local government to slow down highways with bike lanes, speed bumps, variable speed limits, and a host of methods that progressives want to take away vehicle space for single occupancy cars and 'make roads safe for all users.' Guess what? Highways aren't supposed to be for all users. Slower speeds traffic, pedestrians and bikes are best suited for city streets with slower speeds and sidewalks. Highways are for higher speeds to get travelers longer distances in reasonable timeframes. This bill would turn highways into parking lots. No thank you!
SB 2770 (Cook) - DEI applied to road funding decisions and the composition of the Texas Transportation Commission. Mandates one Texas Transportation Commissioner have experience as a transit user, bike or pedestrian commuter, or person with disability, also forces such representation on all transportation boards, (MPOs, RMAs, etc.) and forces equal portion of decision-making based on these classifications even though less than 3% of all commuters use these modes, and bicyclists and pedestrians don’t pay gasoline taxes that fund the projects these boards oversee. Also, turns transportation into a social justice platform, forcing all projects to be analyzed through the lens of race, gender, or disability, forcibly injecting identity politics into road policy.
SB 1770 (Cook) - Complete Streets bill to force road funds to be spent on sidewalks, bike lanes, and transit. This contravenes the Republican Party platform planks 49 & 66 as well as Legislative Priority #8.
SB 47 (Zaffirini) - To criminalize drivers for even touching one's phone while driving. Restrict drivers from touching phones until 'outside lane of travel.' In other words, in a parking lot! Overreach once again. The legislature already debated and passed a bill with guardrails around cell phone use while driving.
SB 1088 (Eckhardt) - To expand definition of 'reckless driving' to include jail time for bodily injury when exceeding the speed limit (either 20 or 30 MPH) while also using a cell phone. Doesn't even say while using a wireless device illegally. There are legal uses for a wireless device while driving.
HB 2145 (Bhojani) - To force taxpayers to pay for EV charging stations in all state parking lots. Can you say DOGE this?
HB 4519 (Ordaz) - To establish Texas Clean Fleet program. Basically a cash for clunkers to make taxpayers subsidize replacing diesel powered vehicles with alternative fuel powered vehicles.
HB 535 (Lopez) - Increases passing distance required to pass a bicyclist/pedestrian to minimum of 3 feet. If a commercial truck, it must allow 6 feet in order to pass, which would require the truck to change lanes (since most streets/lanes are 10-12 feet wide). In practicality, this will cause congestion in auto lanes by forcing all cars/trucks slow down to provide a buffer and potentially vacate the lane closest to the cyclist (depending on the width of the street). Forcing traffic into a condensed number of lanes will jam up our roads and cause auto accidents as motorists suddenly change lanes in unsafe conditions in order to avoid a traffic violation.
HB 2165 (Gamez) - Force trucks into emissions testing in Rio Grande Valley, even where EPA doesn't require it due to non-attainment.
SB 981 (Eckhardt) - To make taxpayers pay for a grant program to buy EV school buses and convert diesel to EV school buses. Must spend 75% of the public money on buying EV buses and converting diersel buses to electric.
SB 1013 (Eckhardt) - To expand definition of sidewalk to include driveways for the purpose of new fines/writing tickets.
HB 1625 (Vasut) - Creates criminal penalty for failing to move over -- would suspend a person's license!
SB 305 (Perry) / HB 2041 (King) - Adds two new classes of vehicles to the move over law: animal control vehicles and parking enforcement! Drivers can be ticketed up to $1,250 for these violations!
SB 2126 (Johnson) / HB 3726 (Perez) - To expand move over law to make drivers move over for any car on the side of the road with its hazards on. Most drivers cannot even see disabled cars and other emergency vehicles in time to slow down enough or move over. These laws are near impossible to comply with. This expansion would mean move over for virtually every car disabled on the side of the road and vacate or eliminate an entire vehicle lane for as long as that car remains on the shoulder or face up to $1,250 fine!
HB 1357 (Cunningham) - Increases fines for touching your cell phone in your vehicle from $25 to $100, and doubling all the other fines associated with the law restricting the use of your phone while driving.
SB 1768 (Cook) - To force health impacts to be studied for every transportation project requiring three different entities -- HHS, TCEQ and MPOs -- to conduct health studies. Waste of money and total overreach.
SB 864 (Alvarado) / HB 4868 (Martinez) - Gives bicyclists special privileges by exempting them from no right on red laws, while most cars are still subject to them. Government picking the winners and losers here.
SB 2589 (Zaffirini) - When county abandons or vacates a county road, instead of giving it to adjacent residential landowners (as would happen now), a county could keep the land and repurpose for walking paths/bike paths, that would then prohibit its use by motorized vehicles.
SB 2725 (Cook) / HB 5253 (Anchia) - Would allow cities to lower speed limits down to 20 MPH without so much as a engineering or traffic study to warrant it. This would turn any random stretch of road at a city's whim into a school zone (except it doesn't even have to be in a school zone). This is part of cities' push for road diets.
HB 5413 (Hinojosa) - Allows an MPO to vote to designate up to 10% of its highways within its jurisdiction as a metropolitan lane where they could turn existing lanes open to all users into an HOV or transit only lane, and to 'optimize the highway for pedestrians, cyclists, users of personal mobility devices, or other low-mass, low-speed road users.' There is no rational reason to optimize a highway for pedestrians and low speed road users.
SB 861 (Johnson) / HB 1361 (Hernandez) - Would force taxpayers to pay for people to replace their old diesel vehicles, known as cash for clunkers program.
HB 5068 (Romero) - Would give learners permits to illegals.
SB 2799 (Creighton) - Increases criminal penalty of reckless driving resulting in bodily injury or serious bodily injury to a state jail felony and felony in the 3rd degree. Seems like a extremely severe jump from a misdemeanor to serious felonies when bodily injury could be as minor as temporary whiplash. "Bodily injury" means physical pain, illness, or any impairment of physical condition. "Serious bodily injury" means bodily injury that creates a substantial risk of death or that causes death, serious permanent disfigurement, or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily member or organ. This could mean much less than death, like fracturing a finger or wrist that takes some time to heal, but isn't permanent disfigurement or death. There is quite a range here and should leave the consequences up to a judge, versus mandating certain punishments that could result from speeding 20 MPH over the speed limit (versus deliberately being reckless with intent to harm using one's car).
SB 2899 (Cook) / HB 5391 (Morales Shaw) - To force TxDOT to consider past wrongs from past transportation projects in future design/construction of highway projects. This is 'roads are racist' policy started under Biden/Buttigieg's 'Reconnecting Communities' program that applies DEI to highway construction and decision-making.
SB 2732 (Cook) - Requires quarterly public meetings on the Statewide Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). Currently, this is only required with major updates. So this frequency of public meetings will be costly. Requires more red tape, like a summary of public input with specific justification for why alternatives/options given by the public are not being incorporated into the statewide plan. So if an intense minority of people show up and demand TxDOT build a park on top of a freeway (as is being studied in San Antonio right now), they have to waste their time justifying why an absurd idea isn't being considered. NEPA already requires this process to be painstakingly followed for highway projects. This is overreach and overkill. If the public is intense about disliking certain projects (like we have through the years opposing toll taxes), suing to enforce they comply with NEPA is a viable option in current statute without the added bureaucracy of this bill.
HB 689 (Gervin-Hawkins) - To increase the penalty for crimes committed on public transit. Why would there be a harsher punishment on transit than any other place? This is overreach.
HB 341 (Morales, Christina) - To force a study by TxDOT on traffic collisions involving people operating bicycles, electric bicycles, or motor-assisted scooters to see if bike lanes reduce crashes. Bike lanes take up limited real estate needed for cars, and another study would only encourage cities to contiuue ripping up our roads to install dedicated bike and bus lanes that slow down cars and create too many conflict points.
HB 702 (Lalani) - Beware of bikes bill. To require rideshare companies to warn customers that their route will enter a bike lane and to beware of bicyclists. Another layer of government. Not necessary for the minuscule number of people that ride in dedicated bike lanes.
HB 2012 (Bell) - Would bring back the regulation of lemonade stands (roadside food & vendors) by certain counties. Once again, we just gave Texans back their freedom from government interference with things like a kids' lemonade stand to earn some money and learn entrepreneurship, why would we restrict Texans' freedom again?
HB 1435 (Hickland) - Raises the bar on citizens getting access to public information through Open Records requests.
SB 736 (Menendez) - TxDOT use 25% composting in all landscaping.
HB 3046 (Morales) - Imposing a fee of $50 just to have the 'privilege' of rear only license plate (instead of the two currently mandated by the state).
HB 2612 (Zwiener) - Establish Carbon Sequestration Council. Embraces radical environmental policy that is anti-car.
HB 3063 (Perez) - Gives cities the power to enforce parking violations on PRIVATE property. More government overreach.
SB 2717 (Menendez) / HB 3826 (Hernandez) - To create TX Energy Efficiency Council, not just advisory, would also monitor Texans' energy use, implement policies that would lead to rationing. Leverages federal money that could potentially be used to restrict energy use (advocates 'implementing energy cost reduction measures') that could ration or prohibit use of energy during peak periods.
SB 1495 (Schwertner) - To create an EV Equipment Advisory Board to advise TxDOT on EV charging equipment standards and monitoring of equipment. Does TxDOT monitor gas station pumps? Why would we do this? Less government not more.
HB 1846 (Walle) - To create an EV Truck Advisory Council with 6 year terms, to establish guidelines for a network of public charging stations for EV trucks. Creates a new bureaucracy (can you say, DOGE this?) & taxpayers shouldn't have to pay for public charging networks for EV trucks, which are pie in the sky, next level impractical!
SB 2017 (Bettencourt) - To make it illegal to spin tires.
SB 2080 (Alvarado) / HB 4148 (Perez) - To allow no bid contracts for navigation districts to hand out to their special intersts buddies from $100,000 (as it is in law now) up to $500,000! Can you say, ripe for corruption?
SB 3840 Johnson) - To force insurance companies to discount rates if a driver installs a dash cam. Deploys a government spy system. No thank you! They could do this on their own. We don't need a law to do this. Overreach!
HB 4400 (Phelan) - For TCEQ to approve a supplemental environmental project, a county must purchase an alternative fuel vehicle, equipment, etc. A total giveway to the alt fuel industry.
Property Rights/Eminent Domain -
GOOD -
SB 1429 (Hughes) - RIght to repair vehicles as it pertains to compelling insurance companies to provide original replacement on vehicles unless the insured agrees to non-original parts, allow a consumer to choose the repair shop of his/her choice, and other consumer-friendly protections.
HB 2440 (Curry) - Right to own gas powered car. State can't restrict the purchase or use of a gas-powered vehicle.
SB 886 (Sparks) / HB 1674 (Kerwin) - Test for PFAs (forever chemicals) in biosolids and anything used as fertilizer to protect human health and livestock.
SB 17 (Kolkhorst) - To keep foreign adversaries from buying Texas land. If amended to close multiple loopholes that will most certainly be exploited by tricky enemies.
HB 4597 (Cain) / HB 4606 (Leo-Wilson) - To authorize the Attonrey General to take back Texas land from our adversaries using eminent domain.
HB 663 (Harrison) - No eminent domain for private High Speed Rail.
HB 1402 (Harris, Orr) - No public money can be used ot alter a road on behalf of any public or private netity for a High Speed Rail project.
HB 2979 (Harris) - To ensure land taken using eminent domain for high speed rail can only be used for high speed rail, not converted to another purpose, which is an abuse of eminent domain.
SB 291 & SB 292 (Schwertner) - In eminent odmain proceedings, must disclose all appriaslas to other party, can seek attorney fees if violate. SB 292 involves seeking damages if property damaged during survey.
HB 1921 (Virdell) - Off road vehicles can use roads if permitted.
HB 5245 (Lozano) - Eminent domain reform regarding pipelines.
HB 5417 (Lozano) - Eminent domain reform regarding bona fide offer improvements.
HB 1722 (Tepper) - Gives property owner access to right of way (ROW) owned by TxDOT if its the only access to a private property that the owner owned prior to TxDOT taking control of the ROW.
HB 2011 (Bell, Cecil) - Owner can re-purchase land if property taxes delinquent.
HB 2003 (Harris) - Funding transparency on High Speed Rail. Disclose how they plan to fund it.
SB 1546 (Perry) - Assess land for productive ag use when condemning using eminent domain for right of way.
HB 2916 (Leach, DeAyala, Baumgarner) - Landowner is shielded from liability for shooting down a drone with a legally-owned and discharged firearm.
Regulation of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS):
HB 3422 (Gerdes) - Return land to way it was before BESS if abandon the project.
SB 1824 (Schwertner) / HB 3809 (Darby) - Involves regulating BESS removal.
SB 1825 (Schwertner) / HB 3824 (King) - BESS must comply with State Fire Marshall.
HB 5569 (Troxclair) - Excellent bill to require BESS to comply with state fire marshall. Outlines what State Fire Marshall needs to establish and properly oversee the safety and compliance of fire mititgation plans of BESS operations.
NEUTRAL -
SB 363 (Eckhardt) - Assess value of condemned land of a conservation easement at highest/best market value as if conservation easment (CE) wasn't a factor. However, conservation easments severely restrict the use of that land and its purpose is to conserve/presevre it in its original state. So a landowner can't have it both ways. If you want highest market value for your property, don't put it under a conservation easment. This is one of the big drawbacks of a CE. You have regrets later and the decision is permanent.
SB 2413 (Hagenbuch) - To subject tiny homes to property tax & new regulations. We generally do not support new regulation and taxes, however, many tiny homes are being used as dwellings and rented out for short-term rentals. All other dwellings used for this purpose are subject to property tax. We'll watch this closely to ensure it doesn't go too far. This is similar to advocating that EVs pay a registration fee to help cover the costs of their road usage since they are not subject to gasoline taxes.
HB 5482 (Patterson) - 'Renewable Energy facility' is defined as wind, solar or energy storage facility. This bill would prohibit them from operating without the Public Utility Commission's approval. It would require facilities to have a fire mitigation plan, but doesn't specifiy State Fire Marshall. Needs some tighter language but on the right track. Need a de-commission process as well that requires land to be restored to original state.
Generally speaking, the state needs to stop encouraging renewables at all and stop its overeliance on them. Regulating them isn't enough. We need to boost dispatchable power, period! The only reason these facilities exist is due to Democrat federal subsidies and Texas fell for it! Now our state has grid vulnerabilities it never had before.
HB 5572 (Troxclair) - Creates approval process for BESS facilities using a contested case hearing process through Public Utilities Commission. Must consider agricultural and environmental impacts. Doesn't mandate the commission consider human health impacts. Requires fire mitigaiton plan but not specific compliance with State Fire Marshall. Needs improvements as well. Need a de-commission process as well that requires land to be restored to original state.