Regular Session
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
No changes required. The designation is honorary and "in addition to any other designation." Legal descriptions, Master Service Agreements (MSAs), and vendor contracts referencing "State Highway 48" remain valid and enforceable. Do not amend existing contracts.
No impact. No new certifications or driver training modules are required.
None. The burden of design and installation lies solely with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
Voluntary only. There are no statutory fees levied on businesses. However, because the state will not fund the signage, local businesses in Cameron County may be solicited by community groups for voluntary donations to fund the markers.
The primary ambiguity is the timeline of physical implementation. While the law is effective immediately, the mandate for TxDOT to erect signs is conditional. Under Transportation Code Section 225.021(c), TxDOT is prohibited from installing these markers until non-state funds are received.
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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 |
| 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.
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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 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.
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| H.B. No. 2523 | ||
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| relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 48 in | ||
| Cameron County as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia 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 225.252 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 225.252. DEPUTY CONSTABLE RUBEN GARCIA MEMORIAL | ||
| HIGHWAY. (a) The portion of State Highway 48 in Cameron County | ||
| between its intersection with State Highway 550 and its | ||
| intersection with Fishermans Place Road is designated as the Deputy | ||
| Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway. The designation is in | ||
| addition to any other designation. | ||
| (b) Subject to Section 225.021(c), the department shall: | ||
| (1) design and construct markers indicating the | ||
| designation as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia 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. It is the intent of the 89th Legislature, Regular | ||
| Session, 2025, that the provisions added by this Act be renumbered | ||
| to prevent multiple provisions with the same designation. | ||
| SECTION 3. 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: | HB2523 by Lopez, Janie (Relating to the designation of the portion of State Highway 4 in Cameron County as the Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Highway.), As Introduced |
| Source Agencies: | 601 Department of Transportation |
| LBB Staff: | JMc, AAL, TG |
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Common questions about HB2523
HB 2523 designates a specific portion of State Highway 48 in Cameron County as the "Deputy Constable Ruben Garcia Memorial Highway. " This is an honorary designation that does not alter traffic laws, speed limits, or official route numbers; consequently, it requires no operational changes for the vast majority of Texas businesses. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: May 24, 2025 (Immediate effect upon signature).
HB2523 was authored by Texas Representative Janie Lopez during the Regular Session.
HB2523 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 24, 2025.
HB2523 is enforced by Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
The compliance urgency for HB2523 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
The cost impact of HB2523 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
HB2523 addresses topics including cameron county, highways, deputy constable ruben garcia highway, signs and deputy constable ruben garcia memorial highway.
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