Monitoring the Session

HB 1589

bill requiring voter approval for new toll roads

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Stan GerdesRHouse 17

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to requiring voter approval for the construction of a new toll project by a toll project entity.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Majority vote in every county the project touches.

The bill bars any toll project entity from building a new toll road unless voters approve it by majority vote in every county the project would touch. A county commissioners court may call the election, and the ballot must let voters vote for or against the specific toll project. This covers toll projects whose financing or construction contract is signed on or after September 1, 2025, so new toll roads would need a local vote before they get built.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Transportation subcommittee on Transportation Funding on Apr 14, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1589 · 2024-12-11

SOLD BY

Rep. Stan GerdesRHouse 17

ITEM

relating to requiring voter approval for the construction of a new toll project by a toll project entity.

WHAT IT DOES

Majority vote in every county the project touches.

The bill bars any toll project entity from building a new toll road unless voters approve it by majority vote in every county the project would touch. A county commissioners court may call the election, and the ballot must let voters vote for or against the specific toll project. This covers toll projects whose financing or construction contract is signed on or after September 1, 2025, so new toll roads would need a local vote before they get built.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 13, 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 s/c on Transportation Funding by Speaker
  4. Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
  5. Considered by s/c in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
  7. Left pending in subcommittee
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Stan Gerdes

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$316KDustin Burrows Campaign$89KTexas Conservative Majority PAC$68K

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 · Oct 30, 2024 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.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$316,248.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$316,248.00

Cash
$220,000.00
Paid by others
$96,248.00
Total
$316,248.00
advertising $74,698.00polling $21,550.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Sep 29, 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: 101010282, 101029052, 101035831, 101036569, 101070133.

Dustin Burrows Campaign$88,800.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$88,800.00

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$13,800.00
Total
$88,800.00
polling $13,800.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 26, 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: 101029052, 101035831, 101036569.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$67,750.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$67,750.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$42,750.00
Total
$67,750.00
canvassing $35,000.00polling $7,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 13, 2026 to Feb 20, 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: 101036569.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$316,248.00

Cash
$220,000.00
Paid by others
$96,248.00
Total
$316,248.00
advertising $74,698.00polling $21,550.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 25, 2025 to Sep 29, 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: 101010282, 101029052, 101035831, 101036569, 101070133.

×

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$88,800.00

Cash
$75,000.00
Paid by others
$13,800.00
Total
$88,800.00
polling $13,800.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 29, 2025 to Jan 26, 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: 101029052, 101035831, 101036569.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$67,750.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$42,750.00
Total
$67,750.00
canvassing $35,000.00polling $7,750.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

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

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 13, 2026 to Feb 20, 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: 101036569.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 13, 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 Dec 11, 2024

04/14/2025 H Left pending in subcommittee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

County Government--General

County Government--Roads

Elections--General

Highways

TOLL ROADS & TOLL BRIDGES

Text

The text as introduced · 241 words

89R3053 JAM-D

By: Gerdes
H.B. No. 1589

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to requiring voter approval for the construction of a new

toll project by a toll project entity.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 372, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 372.060 to read as follows:

Sec. 372.060. VOTER APPROVAL OF TOLL PROJECT REQUIRED;

ELECTION. (a) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a toll

project entity may not construct a toll project unless the project

is approved by a majority of voters voting at an election held for

that purpose in each county in which a portion of the project is to

be located.

(b) The commissioners court of a county may order an

election under this section. The order calling the election must

state:

(1) the hours during which the polls will be open;

(2) the location of the polling places; and

(3) the location of the toll project to be approved.

(c) At an election to approve a toll project, the ballot

must be printed to provide for voting for or against the approval of

the toll project.

SECTION 2. Section 372.060, Transportation Code, as added

by this Act, applies only to a toll project for which a contract for

financing or construction is entered into on or after the effective

date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.