The bill raises the cap on claims the Texas Department of Transportation can settle on its own under the state Tort Claims Act, from under $10,000 to under $100,000. It touches people with injury or damage claims against the department and the department's director, who must find a settlement is in the department's best interest. On the ground, more claims can be settled by the department directly instead of going through other channels, starting September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: QUICK READ: 119 WORDS. The bill as filed runs 119 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 Senate on Apr 16, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Transportation committee 11-0, no floor vote.
relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation
to settle certain claims.
WHAT IT DOES
From under $10,000 to under $100,000.
The bill raises the cap on claims the Texas Department of Transportation can settle on its own under the state Tort Claims Act, from under $10,000 to under $100,000. It touches people with injury or damage claims against the department and the department's director, who must find a settlement is in the department's best interest. On the ground, more claims can be settled by the department directly instead of going through other channels, starting September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 1919 (West) Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to settle certain claims. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 1919 (West) Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to settle certain claims. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 31 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.
Sources
SB 1919 (West) Relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation to settle certain claims. (viva voce vote) (31-0) (31-0)
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Witnesses3
For
1
Against
0
On
2
Names
For
Self1 registration
On
Texas Department of Transportation1 registration
TxDOT1 registration
Sources
3 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.
Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.
House committee · Transportation · Committee vote 11 aye, 0 nay, 2 absent · Out of committee
Senate committee · Transportation · Committee vote 8 aye, 0 nay, 1 absent · Out of committee
Subjects
Civil Remedies & Liabilities
Transportation--Miscellaneous
Vehicles & Traffic--Equipment
TRANSPORTATION, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF
Text
The text as introduced · 119 words
89R7488 AND-D
By: West
S.B. No. 1919
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authority of the Texas Department of Transportation
to settle certain claims.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 201.106(b), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) The department may settle a claim described by
Subsection (a) if:
(1) the department may be liable under Chapter 101,
Civil Practice and Remedies Code;
(2) the director determines that a settlement is in
the best interest of the department; and
(3) the department's liability under the terms of the
settlement is less than $100,000 [ $10,000 ].
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 