A new bill authored by State Sen. Bob Hall in the Texas Senate seeks to amend transportation regulations to allow greater axle weight tolerance for certain vehicles on Texas highways, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on Property Interests category, introduced as SB 70 during the 89(1) legislative session on Wednesday, Aug. 6, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to the exercise of the power of eminent domain by a political subdivision to take private property outside the political subdivision’s boundaries’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends Section 621.101 of the Transportation Code to allow vehicles or combinations of vehicles transporting aggregates over Texas highways or roads to operate with an axle weight that includes a 15% tolerance above the maximum allowable axle weight defined in existing provisions. The total gross weight, however, must not exceed the authorized maximum for the specific roadway. If passed with a two-thirds majority in both legislative houses, the bill will take immediate effect. Otherwise, it will take effect on Sept. 1, 2025.
Bob Hall, the chair of the Senate Committee on Administration, proposed another five bills during the 89(1) legislative session. He is also a member of the Senate Committee on Committee of the Whole Senate, a member of the Senate Committee on Finance, a member of the Senate Committee on Health & Human Services, a member of the Senate Committee on State Affairs, and a member of the Senate Committee on Veteran Affairs.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Legislative Session | Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 89(1) | SB 71 | 08/06/2025 | Relating to autologous and direct blood donations |
| 89(1) | SB 69 | 08/06/2025 | Relating to a statewide order issued by the commissioner of state health services authorizing a pharmacist to dispense ivermectin |
| 89(1) | SB 59 | 07/31/2025 | Relating to the liability of a landowner for the withdrawal and beneficial use of groundwater |
| 89(1) | SB 58 | 07/31/2025 | Relating to the consideration by a groundwater conservation district of modeled available groundwater when issuing permits |
| 89(1) | SB 57 | 07/31/2025 | Relating to the transfer of groundwater outside a groundwater conservation district’s boundaries |
| 89(R) | SB 3070 | 05/12/2025 | Relating to the abolishment of the Texas Lottery Commission and the transfer of the administration of the state lottery and the licensing and regulation of charitable bingo to the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation; creating criminal offenses |
| 89(R) | SB 2971 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the prohibition of certain housing discrimination related to brokerage services |
| 89(R) | SB 2948 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to certain civil penalties collected for violations of laws regulating massage therapy |
| 89(R) | SB 2777 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to a signed acknowledgment of the duties of a member of the Texas Lottery Commission |
| 89(R) | SB 2753 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the integration of early voting by personal appearance and election day voting, including the manner in which election returns are processed and other related changes |
| 89(R) | SB 2750 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the registration and inspection of vehicles |
| 89(R) | SB 2749 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the definition of abuse or neglect of a child |
| 89(R) | SB 2748 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of certain motor vehicles; providing a civil penalty |
| 89(R) | SB 2700 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to a study of title insurance rates in Texas and other states |
| 89(R) | SB 2654 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the ownership of deer in this state |
| 89(R) | SB 2653 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the prohibition on water fluoridation; creating a penalty |
| 89(R) | SB 2652 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the regulation of deer breeding by the Parks and Wildlife Department |
| 89(R) | SB 2651 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the regulation of chronic wasting disease and the establishment of a pilot program to breed deer resistant to chronic wasting disease |
| 89(R) | SB 2650 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to certain requirements for participation in the E-verify program; authorizing penalties |
| 89(R) | SB 2649 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the creation of a statewide Chronic Wasting Disease plan |
| 89(R) | SB 2648 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the identification of breeder deer |
| 89(R) | SB 2428 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to diagnosis, maintenance, and repair of certain digital electronic equipment |
| 89(R) | SB 2427 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the use of impact fees by a political subdivision |
| 89(R) | SB 2426 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain conduct constituting the offense of dog fighting or the offense of cockfighting |
| 89(R) | SB 2424 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to access by a member of the legislature or the lieutenant governor to certain governmental meetings or enforcement actions |
| 89(R) | SB 2423 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the imposition of a tax on certain entities that receive certain federal tax credits related to investing in and developing renewable energy projects in an amount equal to the federal tax credits received |
| 89(R) | SB 2422 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to investigations and disciplinary or punitive action by the Texas Medical Board regarding certain treatments or practices regarding COVID-19 and to the required expungement of certain records |
| 89(R) | SB 2210 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the public inspection of election records |
| 89(R) | SB 2209 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the required use of hand-marked paper ballots for all elections |
| 89(R) | SB 2208 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the procedures for the testing of voting system equipment |
| 89(R) | SB 2207 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to prohibiting the Texas Medical Board from regulating certain physician advertising |
| 89(R) | SB 2182 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to a franchise tax credit for taxable entities that employ certain apprentices in broadband utility engineering or construction jobs |
| 89(R) | SB 2170 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the exemption from ad valorem taxation of property of a charitable organization that provides financial support for medical care at certain institutions of higher education |
| 89(R) | SB 2148 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the reliability of the electricity supply chain |
| 89(R) | SB 2147 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the ownership of breeder deer in this state |
| 89(R) | SB 1995 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the unauthorized entry, occupancy, sale, rental, lease, advertisement for sale, rental, or lease, or conveyance of real property, including the removal of certain unauthorized occupants of a dwelling; creating criminal offenses; increasing a criminal penalty |
| 89(R) | SB 1994 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the consideration of the provision of law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency services by a commissioners court or the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality when determining whether to grant or deny a petition for the creation of certain conservation and reclamation districts |
| 89(R) | SB 1993 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to a prohibition on certain roadway projects and to the distribution of affordable housing funds to local governmental entities that violate that prohibition |
| 89(R) | SB 1992 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the display of “In God We Trust” on municipal and county buildings |
| 89(R) | SB 1991 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the conduct of the state lottery; creating a criminal offense |
| 89(R) | SB 1990 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the operation and administration of the state lottery and repeal of the prohibition on imposing taxes on lottery tickets or prizes |
| 89(R) | SB 1989 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the use of proceeds deposited to the horse industry account for law enforcement purposes |
| 89(R) | SB 1988 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the abolishment of the state lottery |
| 89(R) | SB 1987 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to procedures and grounds for termination of the parent-child relationship |
| 89(R) | SB 1986 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to warning labels for opioid prescription drugs |
| 89(R) | SB 1985 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to a pharmacist’s authority to refuse to dispense a drug |
| 89(R) | SB 1984 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to certain statutes of limitations for criminal offenses, including the statute of limitations for improper relationship between educator and student |
| 89(R) | SB 1983 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the manufacture, sale, and distribution of products developed using mRNA material in the prevention or treatment of a communicable disease |
| 89(R) | SB 1982 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the location of polling places during early voting and on election day |
| 89(R) | SB 1981 | 03/06/2025 | Relating to the compensation and benefits for certain peace officers commissioned by the state fire marshal |
