SB 2129: ignore the flagger, pay double: $100 to $400

Caption

relating to the operation of vehicles at railroad grade crossings; increasing a criminal penalty.

Summary

Base fine stays $50 to $200 at railroad crossings.

The bill keeps the existing fine of $50 to $200 for breaking the railroad grade crossing rules, but doubles the range to $100 to $400 when the driver ignored a warning from a flagger at the crossing. It touches drivers who go through railroad crossings, and the courts that hear these traffic cases. Starting September 1, 2025, a driver shown to have disregarded a flagger's warning faces the higher fine, while earlier conduct stays under the old law.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2129 · 2025-03-10

SOLD BY

Sen. Nathan JohnsonDSenate 16

ITEM

relating to the operation of vehicles at railroad grade crossings; increasing a criminal penalty.

WHAT IT DOES

Base fine stays $50 to $200 at railroad crossings.

The bill keeps the existing fine of $50 to $200 for breaking the railroad grade crossing rules, but doubles the range to $100 to $400 when the driver ignored a warning from a flagger at the crossing. It touches drivers who go through railroad crossings, and the courts that hear these traffic cases. Starting September 1, 2025, a driver shown to have disregarded a flagger's warning faces the higher fine, while earlier conduct stays under the old law.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 4, 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 10, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 10, 2025Filed
Mar 24, 2025Read first time
Mar 24, 2025Referred to Transportation
Apr 9, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 9, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 9, 2025Testimony taken in committee
Apr 9, 2025Vote taken in committee
Apr 10, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
Apr 10, 2025Recommended for local & uncontested calendar
Apr 10, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
Apr 15, 2025Placed on intent calendar
Apr 22, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
Apr 22, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
Apr 22, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
Apr 22, 2025Three day rule suspended
Apr 22, 2025Record vote
Apr 22, 2025Read 3rd time
Apr 22, 2025Passed
Apr 22, 2025Record vote
Apr 22, 2025Reported engrossed
Apr 23, 2025Received from the Senate
Apr 24, 2025Read first time
Apr 24, 2025Referred to Transportation
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 9, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 19, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 21, 2025Placed on General State Calendar
May 22, 2025Read 2nd time
May 22, 2025Passed to 3rd reading
May 22, 2025Record vote RV#3266
May 22, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 23, 2025Read 3rd time
May 23, 2025Passed
May 23, 2025Record vote RV#3344
May 23, 2025Statement(s) of vote recorded in Journal
May 23, 2025House passage reported
May 23, 2025Reported enrolled
May 26, 2025Signed in the Senate
May 26, 2025Signed in the House
May 27, 2025Sent to the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Signed by the Governor
Jun 20, 2025Effective on 9/1/25

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

House · 103 yea · 34 nay

Senate · 31 yea · 0 nay

Sources

House: Final passage · May 23, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate: Final passage · Apr 22, 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

Nathan Johnson

Donors

Daniel Cocanougher$250,000Texas Sands PAC$130KMarguerite Hoffman$125,000

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 1, 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.

Daniel Cocanougher$250,000.00

Texas Sands PAC$129,500.00

Texas Sands PAC

$129,500.00

Cash: $129,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $129,500.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 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: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.

Marguerite Hoffman$125,000.00

Money

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

×

Texas Sands PAC

$129,500.00

Cash: $129,500.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $129,500.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Nov 27, 2024 to May 12, 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: 100990378, 101033698, 101040111, 101052272.

Votes5

House May 23, 2025

Yea: 103
Nay: 34
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 4
Excused: 7

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3344

SB 2129 was passed by (Record 3344): 103 Yeas, 34 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 103 (published)
Nay: 34 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 4 (derived from named list)
Excused: 7 (derived from named list)

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

House May 22, 2025

Yea: 108
Nay: 32
Present, not voting: 2
Absent: 3
Excused: 5

Names

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

House journal

Sources

Record 3266

SB 2129 was passed to third reading by (Record 3266): 108 Yeas, 32 Nays, 2 Present, not voting.

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

Yea: 108 (published)
Nay: 32 (published)
Present, not voting: 2 (published)
Absent: 3 (derived from named list)
Excused: 5 (derived from named list)

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

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Johnson moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2129 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 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.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea: 31
Nay: 0
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Sources

Senator Johnson moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2129 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 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.

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

Senate journal

Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

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.

Witnesses7

For: 7
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

BNSF Railway1 registration
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers & Trainmen1 registration
City of Houston1 registration
Texas AFL - CIO1 registration
Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)1 registration
Texas Railroad Association1 registration
Union Pacific1 registration

Sources

7 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate 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 4, 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 Senate · Filed Mar 10, 2025

06/20/2025 E Effective on 9/1/25

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report · Enrolled

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

Companion

HB 1772 by Bhojani (identical)

Subjects

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Transportation--Railroads

Vehicles & Traffic--Rules of Road

Text

The text as introduced · 209 words

89R6247 RDR-D

By: Johnson
S.B. No. 2129

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the operation of vehicles at railroad grade crossings;

increasing a criminal penalty.

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

SECTION 1. Section 545.251(f), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(f) An offense under this section is punishable by a fine of

not less than $50 or more than $200 , except that the offense is

punishable by a fine of not less than $100 or more than $400 if it is

shown on the trial of the offense that the operator disregarded a

warning given by a flagger under Subsection (a)(2) .

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only

to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.

An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is

governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,

and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For

purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the

effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred

before that date.

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

Verdict: No flags

The receipt

SOLD BY

ITEM

WHAT IT DOES

CHARGES

TOTAL

HISTORY

SIGNED FOR BY

Donors

Texas Sands PAC

Texas Sands PAC

House May 23, 2025

House May 22, 2025

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Senate Apr 22, 2025

Senate Apr 22, 2025

For

Companion