HB 3849: Canales Bill Orders A Border Funding Category That Waits For Money

Caption

relating to the program categories in the unified transportation program.

Summary

The commission must create it, but it “may only be initially implemented” with a specific appropriation.

The bill orders the Texas Transportation Commission to add a new funding category to the state's unified transportation program for border security and international trade corridor projects. Eligible projects must either make the movement of goods from a border crossing onto state highways safer or smoother, or ease congestion at airports, rail crossings or other transportation sites within 60 miles of a border crossing. The bill also says that any category the law requires may not start unless the Legislature passes a specific appropriation for it, so the new border category waits for that money.

Labels

Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 3805 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.DO-OVER. Reworked text of a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 3805 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 15, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Transportation committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB3849 · 2025-03-05

SOLD BY

Rep. Terry CanalesDHouse 40

Rep. Erin GámezDHouse 38

Rep. Eddie MoralesDHouse 74

ITEM

relating to the program categories in the unified transportation program.

WHAT IT DOES

The commission must create it, but it “may only be initially implemented” with a specific appropriation.

The bill orders the Texas Transportation Commission to add a new funding category to the state's unified transportation program for border security and international trade corridor projects. Eligible projects must either make the movement of goods from a border crossing onto state highways safer or smoother, or ease congestion at airports, rail crossings or other transportation sites within 60 miles of a border crossing. The bill also says that any category the law requires may not start unless the Legislature passes a specific appropriation for it, so the new border category waits for that money.

CHARGES

[x] THE HOLEanalysis confidence 45%

THE TEXT

“may only be initially implemented if the legislature makes a specific appropriation for the purpose of implementing the category”

Bill text, introduced version (I)

The bill says the commission shall create the border category, but this clause stops that category from starting until the Legislature passes a separate, specific appropriation. Without that money, the mandate does not take effect.

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 24, 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

Mar 5, 2025Filed
Mar 26, 2025Read first time
Mar 26, 2025Referred to s/c on Transportation Funding by Speaker
Apr 28, 2025Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
Apr 28, 2025Considered by s/c in public hearing
Apr 28, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
Apr 28, 2025Left pending in subcommittee
May 1, 2025Recalled from subcommittee
May 1, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 1, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 8, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 8, 2025Committee report distributed
May 8, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 9, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 11, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 14, 2025Read 2nd time
May 14, 2025Passed to engrossment
May 14, 2025Record vote RV#2554
May 14, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Read 3rd time
May 15, 2025Passed
May 15, 2025Record vote RV#2662
May 15, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 15, 2025Reported engrossed
May 15, 2025Received from the House
May 16, 2025Read first time
May 16, 2025Referred to Transportation

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 119 yea · 22 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.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Terry Canales

Donors

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC$65K Texas 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: 119
Nay: 22
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 3
Excused: 4

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2662

HB 3849 was passed by (Record 2662): 119 Yeas, 22 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 119 (published)
Nay: 22 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 4 (derived from named list)

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

House May 14, 2025

Yea: 132
Nay: 5
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 5
Excused: 6

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2554

HB 3849 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2554): 132 Yeas, 5 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 132 (published)
Nay: 5 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
Excused: 6 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses6

For: 5
Against: 0
On: 1

Names

For

Self1 registration
Self; City of Eagle Pass1 registration
Self; City of Pharr1 registration
Self; Councilmen Place 21 registration
Texas Association of Business1 registration

On

Texas Department of Transportation1 registration

Sources

6 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 I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 24, 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.

FILED BEFORE

Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.

88R HB 3805

by Rep. Canales, same lead author · Died in committee · reworked

Introduced text

Last action, Apr 19, 2023: Referred to Transportation

Relating to the program categories in the unified transportation program.

Caption, 88R bill history

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 5, 2025

05/16/2025 S Referred to Transportation

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · House Committee Report · Engrossed

Data snapshot Nov 1, 2026 at 1:53 PM CST. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Law Enforcement

State Finances--Appropriations

State Finances--Management & Control

Transportation--Miscellaneous

BORDER

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

TRANSPORTATION COMMISSION, TEXAS

Text

The text as introduced · 199 words

89R7879 SRA-F

By: Canales
H.B. No. 3849

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the program categories in the unified transportation

program.

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

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

is amended by adding Sections 201.9955 and 201.9956 to read as

follows:

Sec. 201.9955. PROGRAM CATEGORY FOR PROJECTS RELATED TO

BORDER SECURITY. (a) The commission by rule shall include in the

categories established under Section 201.995(a) a category for

projects related to improving border security and establishing

international trade corridors.

(b) The projects assigned to this category must:

(1) provide greater security in the movement of goods

or enhance the flow of goods from an international border crossing

onto the state highway system; or

(2) mitigate congestion affecting airports, railroad

crossings, or other transportation infrastructure located within

60 miles of an international border crossing.

Sec. 201.9956. FUNDING FOR PROGRAM CATEGORIES CREATED BY

LAW. A category required by law to be included in the categories

established under Section 201.995(a) may only be initially

implemented if the legislature makes a specific appropriation for

the purpose of implementing the category.

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

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

Associated General Contractors of Texas PAC

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

House May 15, 2025

House May 14, 2025

For

On

88R HB 3805