BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2959

By: Dean

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

According to a Longview News-Journal article, the Longview City Council recently approved a petition to rename a section of George Richey Road as Bill Stoudt Parkway, and this petition was signed by more than half of the property owners along the roadway. Bill Stoudt was chosen for this recognition because of his past service and commitment to the Gregg County community. For most of the road, the local government was able to officially change the name. However, a small portion requires state approval to be renamed. C.S.H.B. 2959 seeks to ensure that the entire road is named the Bill Stoudt Parkway continuously, honoring his commitment and years of service to the community.

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. 2959 amends the Transportation Code to designate the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2275 in Gregg County between its intersection with U.S. Highway 259 and its intersection with Spur 502/Judson Road as the Bill Stoudt Parkway, 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 Bill Stoudt Parkway 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 that it is 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. 2959 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.

The substitute changes the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2275 in Gregg County being designated as the Bill Stoudt Parkway from the portion of that road between its intersection with Airline Road and its intersection with Spur 502/Judson Road, as in the introduced, to the portion of that road between its intersection with U.S. Highway 259 and its intersection with Spur 502/Judson Road.

The substitute changes the bill's effective date to remove the possibility for its immediate effect, contingent on receiving the requisite vote, which was present in the introduced.