The bill would amend Chapters 228, 366, and 370 of the Transportation Code by repealing provisions authorizing certain toll project entities, including the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), to use surplus revenue of a toll project to support the financing of another project. The bill would require a toll project of a toll project entity to be maintained without tolls when the costs of acquisition and construction of the project have been paid and either (1) all bonds and bond interest payable from or secured by the project's revenue, or (2) a sufficient amount for payment of all bonds to maturity has been set aside by the issuer.
The bill would stipulate that, beginning on the date the project must be maintained without tolls, the toll project would become part of the state highway system and must be maintained by the Texas Transportation Commission if the Legislative Budget Board (LBB) determines that the state has available resources to operate and maintain the project or would become part of the county road system in the county in which the project is located if the county requests and receives approval from the LBB to operate and maintain the project. The bill would require TxDOT, in consultation with the LBB, to conduct a study and produce a report by September 1, 2026, regarding the costs associated with the cessation toll collection on highways in the manner prescribed by the bill.
The bill would take effect immediately upon receiving a vote of two-thirds of all members elected to each house or, otherwise, on September 1, 2025.
The provisions of the bill would apply to TxDOT and local toll project entities, including regional tollway authorities, regional mobility authorities, and counties. Because the number of applicable toll projects that could become part of the state highway system and the costs to operate and maintain these projects is unknown, the potential increased cost to the State to maintain these additional projects cannot be determined at this time. Based on the information provided by TxDOT, it is assumed the costs to maintain additional projects as part of the state highway system would be significant.