Monitoring the Session

HB 4207

trains can’t block a crossing for 30 minutes

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Ken KingRHouse 88

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 obstructing a railroad crossing and the liability of a railway company for such an obstruction; providing a civil penalty.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Up to $10,000 for each hour of blockage.

The bill bars a railroad's train from blocking a street, railroad crossing, or public highway for 30 minutes or more, and sets a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each hour the blockage continues. It touches railway companies, counties, which must send a written violation notice, and district or county attorneys, who may sue to collect the penalty for the state's general revenue fund. Railroads get a defense for acts of God or train breakdowns, and people harmed by delayed emergency services can sue the railroad for actual damages plus court costs and attorney's fees starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: GOT HALFWAY. Passed the House on May 16, 2025. Died in the Senate: never got out of the Transportation committee.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4207 · 2025-03-10

SOLD BY

Rep. Ken KingRHouse 88

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to obstructing a railroad crossing and the liability of a railway company for such an obstruction; providing a civil penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Up to $10,000 for each hour of blockage.

The bill bars a railroad's train from blocking a street, railroad crossing, or public highway for 30 minutes or more, and sets a civil penalty of up to $10,000 for each hour the blockage continues. It touches railway companies, counties, which must send a written violation notice, and district or county attorneys, who may sue to collect the penalty for the state's general revenue fund. Railroads get a defense for acts of God or train breakdowns, and people harmed by delayed emergency services can sue the railroad for actual damages plus court costs and attorney's fees starting September 1, 2025.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 23, 2025

Because the number of violations the may occur and dollar amount of civil penalties that may be collected under the provisions of the bill is unknown, the potential revenue gain to the General Revenue Fund from civil penalties cannot be determined at this time.

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. Considered in public hearing
  6. Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
  7. Left pending in committee
  8. Considered in formal meeting
  9. Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
  10. Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
  11. Committee report distributed
  12. Committee report sent to Calendars
  13. Considered in Calendars
  14. Placed on General State Calendar
  15. Read 2nd time
  16. Passed to engrossment
  17. Record vote RV#2733
  18. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  19. Read 3rd time
  20. Passed
  21. Record vote RV#2849
  22. Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
  23. Reported engrossed
  24. Received from the House
  25. Read first time
  26. Referred to Transportation
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 103 yea · 16 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 16, 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

Ken King

Donors

Defend Rural Texas PAC$204KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$175KCoalition for Working Families PAC$100K

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 · Jul 16, 2024 to Oct 22, 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.

Defend Rural Texas PAC$203,547.49

Defend Rural Texas PAC

$203,547.49

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$203,547.49
Total
$203,547.49
television $165,000.00radio $25,000.00texting $13,547.49

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 4, 2026 to Aug 7, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 4, 2026 to Aug 7, 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: 101040115, 101058003, 101068175.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$175,000.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$175,000.00

Cash
$175,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$175,000.00

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 · Sep 17, 2024 to Sep 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: 100983150, 101008206, 101028141, 101035143, 101040115, 101058003, 101068175.

Coalition for Working Families PAC$100,000.00

Coalition for Working Families PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 24 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 25, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 3, 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: 101040115.

Money

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

×

Defend Rural Texas PAC

$203,547.49

Cash
$0.00
Paid by others
$203,547.49
Total
$203,547.49
television $165,000.00radio $25,000.00texting $13,547.49

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 4, 2026 to Aug 7, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 4, 2026 to Aug 7, 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: 101040115, 101058003, 101068175.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$175,000.00

Cash
$175,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$175,000.00

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 · Sep 17, 2024 to Sep 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: 100983150, 101008206, 101028141, 101035143, 101040115, 101058003, 101068175.

×

Coalition for Working Families PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 24 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 25, 2025 to Oct 15, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 3, 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: 101040115.

Votes2

House May 16, 2025

Yea
103
Nay
16
Present, not voting
2
Absent
3
Excused
26
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2849

HB 4207 was passed by (Record 2849): 103 Yeas, 16 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 103 (published)
  • Nay: 16 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 26 (derived from named list)

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

House May 15, 2025

Yea
126
Nay
8
Present, not voting
2
Absent
5
Excused
9
Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 2733

HB 4207 was passed to engrossment by (Record 2733): 126 Yeas, 8 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

  • Yea: 126 (published)
  • Nay: 8 (published)
  • Present, not voting: 2 (published)
  • Absent: 5 (derived from named list)
  • Excused: 9 (derived from named list)

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

Witnesses9
For
5
Against
3
On
1
Names

For

  • Brotherhood of locomotive engineers and trainmen1 registration
  • City of Houston1 registration
  • City of Sugar Land1 registration
  • Self; Texas AFL-CIO1 registration
  • Texas Municipal League1 registration

Against

  • BNSF Railway Company1 registration
  • Self1 registration
  • Texas Railroad Association1 registration

On

  • Harris County Commissioners Court1 registration
Sources

9 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 first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 23, 2025

Because the number of violations the may occur and dollar amount of civil penalties that may be collected under the provisions of the bill is unknown, the potential revenue gain to the General Revenue Fund from civil penalties cannot be determined at this time.

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 Mar 10, 2025

05/19/2025 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.

Coauthors
Penny Morales ShawDHouse 148

House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 12 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee

Senate committee · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Civil Remedies & Liabilities

County Government--General

Courts--Prosecuting Attorneys

Transportation--Railroads

Vehicles & Traffic--Rules of Road

Text

The text as introduced · 325 words

89R13389 RDR-D

By: King
H.B. No. 4207

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to obstructing a railroad crossing and the liability of a

railway company for such an obstruction; providing a civil penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 471, Transportation Code, is amended by

adding Section 471.007 to read as follows:

Sec. 471.007. OBSTRUCTING RAILROAD CROSSINGS AND RELATED

LIABILITY; CIVIL PENALTY. (a) Except as otherwise provided by this

section, a train of a railway company may not obstruct a street,

railroad crossing, or public highway for a period of 30 minutes or

more.

(b) A railway company that violates Subsection (a) is liable

for a civil penalty not to exceed $10,000 for each hour that the

violation continues.

(c) It is a defense to liability for a violation under this

section that the train obstructs the street, railroad crossing, or

public highway because of an act of God or a breakdown of the train.

(d) The county in which the violation occurs shall issue a

written notice of violation to the railway company. The

appropriate district or county attorney may bring an action on

behalf of this state to collect a civil penalty under this section.

(e) The district or county attorney shall deposit a civil

penalty in the state treasury to the credit of the general revenue

fund.

(f) A railway company that violates this section is liable

to an individual who is harmed by a delay of emergency services

caused by the violation. A court shall award a claimant who

prevails in an action brought under this subsection:

(1) actual damages; and

(2) court costs and reasonable attorney's fees

incurred in bringing the action.

SECTION 2. Section 471.007(f), Transportation Code, as

added by this Act, applies only to a cause of action that accrues on

or after the effective date of this Act.

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