BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2523

By: Lopez, Janie

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The people of Cameron County experienced a great tragedy when Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia of the Cameron County Constable's Office lost his life in the line of duty. On September 30, 2024, while responding to a crash scene on State Highway 48, Deputy Garcia's patrol car was rear-ended by an intoxicated driver, resulting in fatal injuries. C.S.H.B. 2523 seeks to honor the memory of Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia by officially designating a section of State Highway 48 as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway, which will serve as a lasting tribute to his dedication and sacrifice, remind the public of the dangers law enforcement officers face in the line of duty, and ensure that Deputy Garcia's sacrifice is permanently recognized by the community he served.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2523 amends the Transportation Code to designate the portion of State Highway 48 in Cameron County between its intersection with State Highway 550 and its intersection with Fishermans Place Road as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway, in addition to any other designation. The bill requires the Texas Department of Transportation, subject to a grant or donation of funds, to do the following:

· design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway and any other appropriate information; and

· erect a marker at each end of the highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway.

The bill establishes the legislature's intent that the bill's provisions be renumbered to prevent multiple provisions with the same designation.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2025.

COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE

While C.S.H.B. 2523 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.

Whereas the introduced designated the portion of State Highway 4 in Cameron County as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Highway, the substitute designates the portion of State Highway 48 in Cameron County between its intersection with State Highway 550 and its intersection with Fishermans Place Road as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway.

The substitute includes a provision absent from the introduced establishing the legislature's intent that the bill's provisions be renumbered to prevent multiple provisions with the same designation.