Monitoring the Session

HB 5039

driving off the road to get around becomes a violation

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. AJ LouderbackRHouse 30

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 driving off the roadway.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The strip by the road is not a lane.

The bill makes it a traffic violation to drive a motor vehicle in the strip between the edge of the road and the neighboring property line as a way of getting around. It applies to every driver on Texas roads, with exceptions for parking on the shoulder, lawful shoulder driving, entering or leaving a driveway or alley, emergency vehicles, and road maintenance, construction and service vehicles. Starting September 1, 2025, drivers who cut through ditches, yards or the roadside to skip traffic can be ticketed under a specific new rule.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Mar 13, 2025 and referred to the House Transportation committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB5039 · 2025-03-13

SOLD BY

Rep. AJ LouderbackRHouse 30

ITEM

relating to driving off the roadway.

WHAT IT DOES

The strip by the road is not a lane.

The bill makes it a traffic violation to drive a motor vehicle in the strip between the edge of the road and the neighboring property line as a way of getting around. It applies to every driver on Texas roads, with exceptions for parking on the shoulder, lawful shoulder driving, entering or leaving a driveway or alley, emergency vehicles, and road maintenance, construction and service vehicles. Starting September 1, 2025, drivers who cut through ditches, yards or the roadside to skip traffic can be ticketed under a specific new rule.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Transportation
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

AJ Louderback

Donors

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC$50KTexas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$28KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$25K

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 27, 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 Truth and Liberty PAC$50,000.00

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$50,000.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$50,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 6, 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: 101009033, 101071885.

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC$27,500.00

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$27,500.00

Cash
$27,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$27,500.00

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 · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 5, 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: 100988974, 101009033, 101059497, 101071885.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$25,000.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 · Sep 30, 2026 to Oct 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: 101071885.

Money

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

×

Texans for Truth and Liberty PAC

$50,000.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$50,000.00

Also funds 44 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jun 24, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 6, 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: 101009033, 101071885.

×

Texas Trial Lawyers Association PAC

$27,500.00

Cash
$27,500.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$27,500.00

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 · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 5, 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: 100988974, 101009033, 101059497, 101071885.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$25,000.00

Cash
$25,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$25,000.00

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 · Sep 30, 2026 to Oct 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: 101071885.

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 Mar 13, 2025

04/03/2025 H Referred to Transportation: Apr 3 2025 12:38PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

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

House committee · Transportation · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Vehicles & Traffic--Rules of Road

Text

The text as introduced · 219 words

89R16239 RDR-F

By: Louderback
H.B. No. 5039

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to driving off the roadway.

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

SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter B, Chapter 545,

Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

SUBCHAPTER B. DRIVING ON [ RIGHT SIDE OF ] ROADWAY , OFF ROADWAY, AND

PASSING

SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 545, Transportation Code,

is amended by adding Section 545.067 to read as follows:

Sec. 545.067. DRIVING OFF ROADWAY. (a) Except as provided

by this subtitle, an operator may not drive a motor vehicle between

a curb or lateral line of a roadway and the adjacent property line

for the purpose of normal vehicular travel.

(b) This section does not apply to:

(1) a vehicle stopping, standing, or parking on the

shoulder;

(2) a vehicle driving on an improved shoulder in the

manner authorized by Section 545.058;

(3) a vehicle entering or leaving the roadway from an

alley, private road, or driveway;

(4) a vehicle operated for the purpose of maintaining

the highway or adjacent property;

(5) an authorized emergency vehicle;

(6) a highway maintenance or construction vehicle, as

defined by Section 547.001; or

(7) a service vehicle, as defined by Section 547.001.

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