HB 2621: Bill Makes TxDOT Keep 30 Days Of Every Camera Feed

Caption

relating to the recording and archiving of live video feed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Summary

Confidential, but shareable with police. The committee analysis says it “could potentially aid law enforcement.”

The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to record and keep at least 30 days of footage from every video camera it uses for its work. The recordings are confidential and closed to public records requests, but the department may share them with police for an investigation or use them in emergencies like serious crashes or bridge collapses. Live traffic camera feeds that are not stored today would become a rolling 30-day archive that police can request, starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: ACROSS THE AISLE. Joint authors: 3 Republicans, 1 Democrat. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.QUICK READ: 149 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 149 words, counting the existing law it amends and the text it strikes. The median 89R bill as filed runs 441 words (derived, 8,702 graded bills, snapshot Oct 19, 2026).GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 10, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Criminal Justice committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2621 · 2025-02-10

SOLD BY

Rep. Morgan MeyerRHouse 108

Rep. Tom CraddickRHouse 82

Rep. Angelia OrrRHouse 13

+ 1 more author

ITEM

relating to the recording and archiving of live video feed by the Texas Department of Transportation.

WHAT IT DOES

Confidential, but shareable with police. The committee analysis says it “could potentially aid law enforcement.”

The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation to record and keep at least 30 days of footage from every video camera it uses for its work. The recordings are confidential and closed to public records requests, but the department may share them with police for an investigation or use them in emergencies like serious crashes or bridge collapses. Live traffic camera feeds that are not stored today would become a rolling 30-day archive that police can request, starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[x] PITCH: SURVEILLANCE STATE

ACTUALLY

“The department shall record and archive for at least 30 days from”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill turns the state's live highway camera feeds into a stored archive that it can hand to law enforcement while keeping it closed to the public.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 30, 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

Feb 10, 2025Filed
Mar 18, 2025Read first time
Mar 18, 2025Referred to Transportation
Apr 17, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 17, 2025Withdrawn from schedule
Apr 24, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 24, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 24, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 24, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 24, 2025Left pending in committee
Apr 25, 2025Considered in formal meeting
Apr 25, 2025Committee substitute considered in committee
Apr 25, 2025Reported favorably as substituted
May 2, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 2, 2025Committee report distributed
May 5, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 6, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 8, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 9, 2025Read 2nd time
May 9, 2025Amended 1-Meyer
May 9, 2025Passed to engrossment as amended
May 9, 2025Record vote RV#1929
May 9, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 10, 2025Read 3rd time
May 10, 2025Passed
May 10, 2025Record vote RV#2012
May 10, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 10, 2025Reported engrossed
May 12, 2025Received from the House
May 19, 2025Read first time
May 19, 2025Referred to Criminal Justice

FILED UNDER

SURVEILLANCE STATE

THE TEXT

“The department shall record and archive for at least 30 days from”…

Bill text, House committee report version (H)

The bill turns the state's live highway camera feeds into a stored archive that it can hand to law enforcement while keeping it closed to the public.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 105 yea · 26 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 10, 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

Morgan Meyer

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$530K Texas Conservative Majority PAC$422K Texas Sands PAC$262K

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 28, 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$530,160.35

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$530,160.35

Cash: $275,000.00
Paid by others: $255,160.35
Total: $530,160.35

advertising $220,000.00polling $35,160.35

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 23, 2025 to Oct 16, 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: 101012321, 101035164, 101040580, 101060247, 101069424, 101072232.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$422,350.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$422,350.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $272,350.00
Total: $422,350.00

canvassing $250,000.00polling $22,350.00

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 18, 2026 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: 101040580, 101069424, 101072232.

Texas Sands PAC$262,000.00

Texas Sands PAC

$262,000.00

Cash: $262,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $262,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 13, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100988696, 101040580, 101072232.

Money

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

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$530,160.35

Cash: $275,000.00
Paid by others: $255,160.35
Total: $530,160.35

advertising $220,000.00polling $35,160.35

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 23, 2025 to Oct 16, 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: 101012321, 101035164, 101040580, 101060247, 101069424, 101072232.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$422,350.00

Cash: $150,000.00
Paid by others: $272,350.00
Total: $422,350.00

canvassing $250,000.00polling $22,350.00

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 18, 2026 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: 101040580, 101069424, 101072232.

×

Texas Sands PAC

$262,000.00

Cash: $262,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $262,000.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 13, 2024 to Sep 25, 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: 100988696, 101040580, 101072232.

Votes2

House May 10, 2025

Yea: 105
Nay: 26
Present, not voting: 1
Absent: 4
Excused: 14

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2012

HB 2621 was passed by (Record 2012): 105 Yeas, 26 Nays, 1 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 105 (published)
Nay: 26 (published)
Present, not voting: 1 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 14 (derived from named list)

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

House May 9, 2025

Yea: 107
Nay: 27
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 10

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 1929

CSHB 2621, as amended, was passed to engrossment by (Record 1929): 107 Yeas, 27 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 107 (published)
Nay: 27 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 10 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses11

For: 8
Against: 2
On: 1

Names

For

Austin Police Association1 registration
Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)1 registration
Dallas Criminal District Attorney John Creuzot1 registration
Self3 registrations
Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
Texas Police Chiefs Association1 registration

Against

Self1 registration
Self; Texas Eagle Forum1 registration

On

Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)1 registration

Sources

11 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.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · April 30, 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

Adversarial review by claude-opus-5-5 at high effort: sent to the editor.

Analysis of text version H by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 22, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Feb 10, 2025

05/19/2025 S Referred to Criminal Justice

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 11 aye, 1 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Criminal Justice · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Law Enforcement

Transportation--Miscellaneous

VIDEOTAPE & FILM

TRANSPORTATION, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 149 words

89R9837 CXP-D

By: Meyer
H.B. No. 2621

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the recording and archiving of live video feed by the

Texas Department of Transportation.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter J, Chapter 201, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 201.813 to read as follows:

Sec. 201.813. LIVE VIDEO FEED RECORDING AND ARCHIVE. (a)

The department shall record and archive for at least 30 days from

the date of the recording live video feed of each video camera used

to carry out the department's functions.

(b) A recording made under this section is confidential and

not subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code,

except that the department may provide access to a recording to a

law enforcement agency for use related to a criminal investigation.

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

Verdict: Smells

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Texas Sands PAC

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

Texas Sands PAC

House May 10, 2025

House May 9, 2025

For

Against

On