Monitoring the Session

HB 1683

Canales Road Bill Drops The Vote In 870,000-Plus Border Counties

Died in committee

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review
Rep. Terry CanalesDHouse 40
Why it's charged
Bracket bill

THE TEXT

“(1) has a population of 870,000 or more; and (2) is located on an international border.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

A population floor paired with an international-border requirement aims this Transportation Code change at a small handful of counties. The caption only says "certain counties" and never names who is covered.

Bracket bill

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 systems of county road administration in certain counties.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Caption: “certain counties.” Bill: big ones on an international border. Commissioners court order, no election.

The bill requires certain large border counties to switch to a county road department system by an order of the commissioners court instead of letting voters decide at an election. It touches only counties with a population of 870,000 or more that sit on an international border, plus their commissioners courts and residents. In those counties, the road system change happens by court order entered in the minutes, with no election, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Dec 20, 2024 and referred to the House Transportation committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB1683 · 2024-12-20

SOLD BY

Rep. Terry CanalesDHouse 40

ITEM

relating to systems of county road administration in certain counties.

WHAT IT DOES

Caption: “certain counties.” Bill: big ones on an international border. Commissioners court order, no election.

The bill requires certain large border counties to switch to a county road department system by an order of the commissioners court instead of letting voters decide at an election. It touches only counties with a population of 870,000 or more that sit on an international border, plus their commissioners courts and residents. In those counties, the road system change happens by court order entered in the minutes, with no election, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] BRACKET BILLanalysis confidence 60%

THE TEXT

“(1) has a population of 870,000 or more; and (2) is located on an international border.”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

A population floor paired with an international-border requirement aims this Transportation Code change at a small handful of counties. The caption only says "certain counties" and never names who is covered.

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Transportation
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Withdrawn from schedule
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Terry Canales

Donors

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$65KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$35KCurtis E. Ford$30,605

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 · Aug 9, 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.

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$65,000.00

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$65,000.00

Cash
$65,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$65,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 6, 2024 to Oct 21, 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: 100986692, 101072185.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$35,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

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 · Aug 9, 2024 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: 100986692, 101030306, 101068017, 101072185.

Curtis E. Ford$30,605.00
Money

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

×

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

$65,000.00

Cash
$65,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$65,000.00

Also funds 120 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 19, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 6, 2024 to Oct 21, 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: 100986692, 101072185.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$35,000.00

Cash
$35,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$35,000.00

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 · Aug 9, 2024 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: 100986692, 101030306, 101068017, 101072185.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

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 20, 2024

03/27/2025 H Withdrawn from schedule

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:19 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

County Government--Roads

Text

The text as introduced · 212 words

89R8595 MZM-D

By: Canales
H.B. No. 1683

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to systems of county road administration in certain

counties.

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

SECTION 1. Section 252.301(a), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as otherwise provided by Section 252.3011, a [ A ]

county may adopt this subchapter at an election held as provided by

this section.

SECTION 2. Subchapter D, Chapter 252, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 252.3011 to read as follows:

Sec. 252.3011. ADOPTION OF COUNTY ROAD DEPARTMENT SYSTEM IN

CERTAIN COUNTIES. (a) This section applies only to a county that:

(1) has a population of 870,000 or more; and

(2) is located on an international border.

(b) Section 252.301 does not apply to a county described by

Subsection (a).

(c) The commissioners court of a county described by

Subsection (a) shall adopt the use of this subchapter by an order

made at a regular term of the court.

(d) The commissioners court shall enter the order described

by Subsection (c) in its minutes. The order is not required to be

in any particular form, and substantial compliance with this

section is sufficient.

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