Monitoring the Session

HB 3514

bill letting landowners plant in highway right-of-way

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Terry CanalesDHouse 40

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 the operation of a program by the Texas Department of Transportation to allow a real property owner to plant or replace vegetation in a right-of-way.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

TxDOT sets up the program by rule.

The bill orders the Texas Department of Transportation to set up, by rule, a program that lets owners of land next to state highways plant or replace plants in the highway right-of-way. Owners can plant to improve looks or remove plants that block the view of their property, but only within 500 feet of their land, at their own cost, using locally adapted plants and without interfering with utilities. The state keeps full rights to the land for road work, and utilities do not owe owners anything if they tear out the plants while working.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 15, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Transportation committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3514 · 2025-02-28

SOLD BY

Rep. Terry CanalesDHouse 40

ITEM

relating to the operation of a program by the Texas Department of Transportation to allow a real property owner to plant or replace vegetation in a right-of-way.

WHAT IT DOES

TxDOT sets up the program by rule.

The bill orders the Texas Department of Transportation to set up, by rule, a program that lets owners of land next to state highways plant or replace plants in the highway right-of-way. Owners can plant to improve looks or remove plants that block the view of their property, but only within 500 feet of their land, at their own cost, using locally adapted plants and without interfering with utilities. The state keeps full rights to the land for road work, and utilities do not owe owners anything if they tear out the plants while working.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version H · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version H · May 8, 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 Transportation
  4. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  5. Withdrawn from schedule
  6. Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
  7. Considered in public hearing
  8. Committee substitute considered in committee
  9. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  10. Left pending in committee
  11. Considered in formal meeting
  12. Committee substitute considered in committee
  13. Reported favorably as substituted
  14. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  15. Committee report distributed
  16. Committee report sent to Calendars
  17. Considered in Calendars
  18. Placed on General State Calendar
  19. Read 2nd time
  20. Passed to engrossment
  21. Record vote RV#2566
  22. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  23. Read 3rd time
  24. Passed
  25. Record vote RV#2673
  26. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  27. Reported engrossed
  28. Received from the House
  29. Read first time
  30. Referred to Transportation
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 124 yea · 18 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 15, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

No flags

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.

Votes2

House May 15, 2025

Yea
124
Nay
18
Present, not voting
2
Absent
1
Excused
5
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2673

HB 3514 was passed by (Record 2673): 124 Yeas, 18 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 124 (published)
  • Nay: 18 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 1 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

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

House May 14, 2025

Yea
110
Nay
21
Present, not voting
3
Absent
10
Excused
6
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2566

CSHB 3514 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2566): 110 Yeas, 21 Nays, 3 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 110 (published)
  • Nay: 21 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 3 (published)
  • Absent: 10 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses12
For
10
Against
1
On
1
Names

For

  • CenterPoint Energy1 registration
  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
  • NFIB1 registration
  • Outdoor Adv Assn of Texas1 registration
  • Pappas, Four Families1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Texas Apartment Association1 registration
  • Texas Hotel & Lodging Association1 registration
  • Texas Nursery & Landscape Association1 registration
  • Texas Restaurant Association1 registration

Against

  • Self; Scenic Texas1 registration

On

  • Texas Department of Transportation1 registration
Sources

12 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 · May 8, 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 Feb 28, 2025

05/16/2025 S Referred to Transportation

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

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

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 9 aye, 0 nay, 4 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2793 by Paxton (identical)

Subjects

Highways

Property Interests--General

Property Interests--Real Property

Transportation--Miscellaneous

TRANSPORTATION, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF

Text

The text as introduced · 368 words

89R9118 AJZ-F

By: Canales
H.B. No. 3514

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation of a program by the Texas Department of

Transportation to allow a real property owner to plant or replace

vegetation in a right-of-way.

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

SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 202, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 202.0585 to read as follows:

Sec. 202.0585. VEGETATION IN RIGHT-OF-WAY. (a) Subject to

Subsections (b) and (c), the department by rule shall develop and

implement a program to allow an owner of real property abutting or

adjoining property acquired by the department for the right-of-way

of a road in the state highway system to:

(1) plant vegetation or replace existing vegetation in

the right-of-way if the owner determines that the new vegetation

will enhance the aesthetic appeal of the property; or

(2) replace existing vegetation in the right-of-way if

the vegetation to be replaced reduces the visibility of the

property.

(b) The program may authorize an owner of real property

described by Subsection (a) to plant or replace existing vegetation

only in the right-of-way, including the outer separation, located

within 500 feet of the property.

(c) An owner of real property who plants or replaces

vegetation in the right-of-way in accordance with this section:

(1) is responsible for all costs associated with the

planting or replacement of vegetation;

(2) may use only vegetation adapted to local

conditions; and

(3) may not interfere with any public utility

infrastructure located in the right-of-way.

(d) The rules adopted by the department under Subsection (a)

may not impair or relinquish the state's right to use the

right-of-way when needed to construct or reconstruct the road for

which it was acquired.

(e) Use by the owner of adjoining or abutting real property

under this section is not abandonment of the right-of-way by the

department.

(f) This section does not require a utility, as defined by

Section 203.091, that performs work in the right-of-way to replace

vegetation or provide compensation to an owner of real property for

replacing vegetation if the removal of vegetation is necessary to

perform the work.

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