Monitoring the Session

HB 146

Downtown Austin Lane Changes Need Four State Board Votes

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsNeeds review
Rep. Charlie GerenRHouse 99
Why it's charged
Dragnet

THE CAPTION

…“of certain traffic changes near the state capitol.”

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“(3) changes the traffic flow on the lanes of traffic.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption pitches "certain" changes "near" the capitol, but the text reaches any change in traffic flow, done "directly or indirectly," on every street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Lady Bird Lake and from I-35 to Lamar. That covers far more than the capitol grounds. The board approval requirement is real and matches the caption in kind, but it is much wider in reach.

Dragnet

Needs review · Nov 1, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the required approval by the State Preservation Board of certain traffic changes near the state capitol.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “near the state capitol.” Bill: any traffic flow change from I-35 to Lamar.

The bill bars cities and counties from cutting lanes, closing lanes for more than 7 days in a row, or changing traffic flow on any street in a large stretch of downtown Austin unless four State Preservation Board members vote to allow it. It touches the City of Austin, Travis County and anyone planning road projects between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Interstate 35, Lady Bird Lake and Lamar Boulevard. Local road changes in that zone would need a state board vote, starting immediately or on September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 13, 2025. Died in the Senate: voted out of the Business & Commerce committee 7-4, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB146 · 2025-03-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Charlie GerenRHouse 99 Rep. Ellen TroxclairRHouse 19

ITEM

relating to the required approval by the State Preservation Board of certain traffic changes near the state capitol.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “near the state capitol.” Bill: any traffic flow change from I-35 to Lamar.

The bill bars cities and counties from cutting lanes, closing lanes for more than 7 days in a row, or changing traffic flow on any street in a large stretch of downtown Austin unless four State Preservation Board members vote to allow it. It touches the City of Austin, Travis County and anyone planning road projects between Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, Interstate 35, Lady Bird Lake and Lamar Boulevard. Local road changes in that zone would need a state board vote, starting immediately or on September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] DRAGNETanalysis confidence 50%

THE CAPTION

…“of certain traffic changes near the state capitol.”

Caption, introduced version (I)

THE TEXT

“(3) changes the traffic flow on the lanes of traffic.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The caption pitches "certain" changes "near" the capitol, but the text reaches any change in traffic flow, done "directly or indirectly," on every street from Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard to Lady Bird Lake and from I-35 to Lamar. That covers far more than the capitol grounds. The board approval requirement is real and matches the caption in kind, but it is much wider in reach.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 16, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to State Affairs
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in public hearing
  9. Committee substitute considered in committee
  10. Reported favorably as substituted
  11. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  12. Committee report distributed
  13. Committee report sent to Calendars
  14. Considered in Calendars
  15. Placed on General State Calendar
  16. Read 2nd time
  17. Passed to engrossment
  18. Record vote RV#2222
  19. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  20. Read 3rd time
  21. Passed
  22. Record vote RV#2288
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the House
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to Business & Commerce
  27. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  28. Considered in public hearing
  29. Testimony taken in committee
  30. Left pending in committee
  31. Considered in public hearing
  32. Vote taken in committee
  33. Reported favorably w/o amendments
  34. Committee report printed and distributed
  35. Co-sponsor authorized
  36. Placed on intent calendar
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 99 yea · 41 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 13, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Charlie Geren

Donors

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$100KJon & Rebecca Brumley$50,000Michael Gallagher$40,000

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$100,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.

Jon & Rebecca Brumley$50,000.00
Michael Gallagher$40,000.00
Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.

Votes2

House May 13, 2025

Yea
99
Nay
41
Present, not voting
2
Absent
2
Excused
6
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2288

HB 146 was passed by (Record 2288): 99 Yeas, 41 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 99 (published)
  • Nay: 41 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 2 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

House May 12, 2025

Yea
102
Nay
32
Present, not voting
2
Absent
7
Excused
7
Names

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

House journal

Sources

Record 2222

CSHB 146 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2222): 102 Yeas, 32 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

  • Yea: 102 (published)
  • Nay: 32 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 7 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

House journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses5
For
1
Against
4
On
0
Names

For

  • Self1 registration

Against

  • City of Austin2 registrations
  • Self1 registration
  • Self; Safe Streets Austin1 registration
Sources

5 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

House witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version E · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version E · May 16, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 11, 2025

05/27/2025 S Placed on intent calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed · Senate Committee Report

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:36 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

Sponsors
Charles SchwertnerRSenate 5
Cosponsors
Donna CampbellRSenate 25

House committee · State Affairs · Committee vote 12 aye, 2 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Business & Commerce · Committee vote 7 aye, 4 nay · Out of committee

Subjects

City Government--Roads

County Government--Roads

Public Lands, Buildings & Resources

STATE CAPITOL BUILDING & GROUNDS

STATE PRESERVATION BOARD

Text

The text as introduced · 231 words

By: Geren
H.B. No. 146

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the required approval by the State Preservation Board

of certain traffic changes near the state capitol.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 443, Government Code, is amended by

adding a new Section 443.0073 to read as follows:

Sec. 443.0073. APPROVAL OF CAPITOL AREA TRAFFIC CHANGES.

(a) This section applies to the area bounded on the north by Martin

Luther King Jr. Boulevard, bounded on the east by Interstate 35,

bounded on the south by Lady Bird Lake, and bounded on the west by

Lamar Boulevard.

(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a municipality or county

may not, unless authorized by an affirmative vote of four board

members, take any action, directly or indirectly, that, for a

public highway, street, or alley in the area to which this section

applies:

(1) reduces the number of lanes of traffic;

(2) closes any lanes of traffic for more than 7

consecutive days; or

(3) changes the traffic flow on the lanes of traffic.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives

a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as

provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this

Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this

Act takes effect September 1, 2025.