Regular Session
Texas Department of Transportation
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
No amendments required. Existing vendor agreements, leases, and deeds referencing "State Highway 302" remain legally binding. Do not amend legal descriptions in real estate documents, as the underlying highway designation for surveying purposes remains unchanged.
Logistics Updates Only. Fleet managers operating in the Permian Basin must notify drivers and dispatchers of the dual designation. Personnel must be trained to recognize "Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway" as synonymous with SH 302 between FM 2019 and the Ector-Winkler County line to prevent navigation errors or delayed emergency reporting.
No new filings. Do not file change-of-address forms with the USPS, IRS, or Texas Secretary of State. This designation is honorary and does not constitute a legal address change for businesses fronting the highway.
None. There are no new tolls, registration fees, or mandatory assessments associated with this legislation.
The Funding Trigger (Section 225.021(c)): The law explicitly prohibits TxDOT from using state funds to design, construct, or erect the memorial markers.
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Schedule ConsultationInformation presented is for general knowledge only and is provided without warranty, express or implied. Consult qualified government affairs professionals and legal counsel before making compliance decisions.
This bill's path through the Texas Legislature
BILL ANALYSIS |
| H.B. 1708 |
| By: Landgraf |
| Transportation |
| Committee Report (Unamended) |
| BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE On September 17, 2024, Highway Patrol Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez was struck by a vehicle while investigating a crash along State Highway 302. Tragically, Trooper Ramirez Vasquez succumbed to his injuries on September 28. H.B. 1708 seeks to honor the life and service of Trooper Kevin Alexis Ramirez Vasquez by designating a portion of State Highway 302 in Ector County in his memory.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| ANALYSIS H.B. 1708 amends the Transportation Code to designate the portion of State Highway 302 in Ector County between its intersection with Farm-to-Market Road 2019 and the Ector-Winkler County line as the Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway. 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 Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez 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.
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| EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
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| H.B. No. 1708 | ||
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| relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 302 in | ||
| Ector County as the Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportation Code, | ||
| is amended by adding Section 225.246 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 225.246. TROOPER KEVIN RAMIREZ VASQUEZ MEMORIAL | ||
| HIGHWAY. (a) The portion of State Highway 302 in Ector County | ||
| between its intersection with Farm-to-Market Road 2019 and the | ||
| Ector-Winkler County line is designated as the Trooper Kevin | ||
| Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway. | ||
| (b) Subject to Section 225.021(c), the department shall: | ||
| (1) design and construct markers indicating the | ||
| designation as the Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway | ||
| and any other appropriate information; and | ||
| (2) erect a marker at each end of the highway and at | ||
| appropriate intermediate sites along the highway. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| TO: | Honorable Tom Craddick, Chair, House Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB1708 by Landgraf (Relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 302 in Ector County as the Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway.), As Introduced |
| Source Agencies: | 601 Department of Transportation |
| LBB Staff: | JMc, AAL, TG |
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Common questions about HB1708
HB1708 immediately designates a segment of State Highway 302 in Ector County as the "Trooper Kevin Ramirez Vasquez Memorial Highway. " This is a ceremonial designation that affects logistics nomenclature and signage but does not alter official postal addresses, legal descriptions for real estate, or regulatory compliance standards for carriers. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: May 24, 2025 (Immediate effect due to supermajority vote).
HB1708 was authored by Texas Representative Brooks Landgraf during the Regular Session.
HB1708 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 24, 2025.
HB1708 is enforced by Texas Department of Transportation.
The compliance urgency for HB1708 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
The cost impact of HB1708 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
HB1708 addresses topics including ector county, highways, trooper kevin ramirez vasquez memorial highway, signs and transportation, texas department of.
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