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Signed Into Law
Signed June 20, 2025Effective 2025-09-01
HB2731

Regular Session

Relating to the regulation of roadside vendors and solicitors in certain counties.

Government Affairs & Regulatory Compliance Analysis

HB2731: Government Affairs Overview

HB2731 drastically lowers the population threshold (from 870,000 to 200,000) for counties bordering Mexico to regulate roadside commerce, effectively granting Cameron and Webb Counties the same regulatory powers previously reserved for El Paso and Hidalgo. If you own property or operate in the unincorporated areas of these counties, local Commissioners Courts now have the statutory authority to ban or restrict roadside vendors, live animal sales, and solicitation in your parking lots and adjacent rights-of-way.

Rep. Sergio Munoz·House Bill·Regular Session

Moderate
Low Cost
Effective:2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies

County Commissioners Courts (Counties bordering Mexico with population > 200,000) • County Sheriffs and Constables (Unincorporated areas)

Business Impact

Who HB2731 Affects

This legislation has regulatory implications for the following Texas businesses and organizations:

Regulatory Priority: moderate

Notable regulatory updates (effective 2025-09-01). Consider how these changes may affect your operations.

🚛

Transportation

Affected business types:

  • Trucking companies
  • Towing operators
  • Fleet operators
  • Logistics providers
View all transportation legislation
🏭

Manufacturing & Business

Affected business types:

  • Manufacturers
  • Industrial facilities
  • Supply chain companies
  • Logistics providers
View all manufacturing & business legislation

Key Operational Considerations

  • 1Vendor Leases: Review all agreements with third-party vendors (food trucks, pop-up stalls) operating on your parking lots in affected unincorporated areas.
  • 2Termination Clauses: Amend contracts to include an immediate termination right if the vendor’s operation is rendered illegal by new county ordinances.
  • 3Indemnification: Update indemnity clauses to require vendors to cover any administrative fines levied against the property owner for the vendor's violation of county solicitation or vending rules.
  • 4Site Management: Train facility managers in unincorporated border zones to distinguish between "livestock" (protected) and "live animals" (likely prohibited).

Estimated Cost Impact

lowMinimal cost impact anticipated.

Enforcing Agencies

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HB2731
Relating to the regulation of roadside vendors and solicitors in certain counties.
Moderate Urgency
Heavily Contested
House Vote82 - 38
YEA
NAY
68% in favor120 voting
Senate Vote28 - 3
YEA
90% in favor31 voting
41
Total Opposition Votes
Cost Impact
Low
Effective
2025-09-01
Enforcing Agencies
County Commissioners CourtsCounty Sheriffs and Constables
Primary Author: Rep. Sergio Munoz
89th Texas Legislature
jdkey.com
01

Compliance Analysis

Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation

Implementation Timeline

  • Effective Date: September 1, 2025
  • Compliance Deadline: Variable. Compliance is triggered only when your specific County Commissioners Court adopts a local order pursuant to this statute. Expect these orders to appear on agendas between September 2025 and January 2026.
  • Agency Rulemaking: County-Level Only. There is no state-level rulemaking. You must monitor the Commissioners Court agendas in Cameron, Webb, Hidalgo, and El Paso counties. The "regulatory gray zone" exists from Sept 1, 2025, until the county passes its specific ordinance.

Immediate Action Plan

  • 1. Geographic Audit: Immediately identify all facility locations in the unincorporated areas of Cameron and Webb counties (and re-verify Hidalgo/El Paso).
  • 2. Setback Analysis: Calculate the setback distance for all highway-facing parking lots at these locations to determine which vendor spots are at risk.
  • 3. Government Affairs Alert: Task your local representatives to monitor County Commissioners Court agendas starting August 2025 for "Roadside Vendor" or "Solicitation" orders.
  • 4. Lease Addendums: Issue lease addendums to all parking lot tenants in affected zones, conditioning their continued occupancy on compliance with future county orders.

Operational Changes Required

Contracts

  • Vendor Leases: Review all agreements with third-party vendors (food trucks, pop-up stalls) operating on your parking lots in affected unincorporated areas.
  • Termination Clauses: Amend contracts to include an immediate termination right if the vendor’s operation is rendered illegal by new county ordinances.
  • Indemnification: Update indemnity clauses to require vendors to cover any administrative fines levied against the property owner for the vendor's violation of county solicitation or vending rules.

Hiring/Training

  • Site Management: Train facility managers in unincorporated border zones to distinguish between "livestock" (protected) and "live animals" (likely prohibited).
  • Security Protocols: Update security post orders to identify and remove unauthorized solicitors in parking lots, as their presence may now trigger county enforcement actions against the property owner.

Reporting & Record-Keeping

  • Right-of-Way (ROW) Maps: Maintain current surveys or TxDOT maps for all frontage properties. You must be able to calculate the "setback zone" (one-half the width of the ROW) where vending may be prohibited.
  • Livestock Classification: If you host animal sales, retain documentation proving the animals meet the statutory definition of "livestock" (e.g., farm/ranch use) to claim the statutory exemption.

Fees & Costs

  • Potential Fines: While the bill does not set a state fine, violation of county orders is typically a Class C Misdemeanor (up to $500 per day/offense).
  • Revenue Loss: Anticipate the potential loss of lease revenue if the county prohibits pop-up vendors in your parking lots.

Strategic Ambiguities & Considerations

  • "Solicitation of Money": The statute allows counties to regulate "solicitation." It is unclear if this applies strictly to charitable/panhandling activities or if counties will aggressively interpret this to restrict commercial sales teams (e.g., windshield repair solicitation). Watch the definitions in the draft county orders closely.
  • "Live Animals" vs. "Livestock": The law prohibits banning "livestock" sales but allows banning "live animal" sales. The line between a "pet" and "livestock" (e.g., rabbits, poultry) is not defined in the bill and will be subject to local interpretation and enforcement discretion.

Need Compliance Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting specializes in Texas regulatory compliance strategy. Work directly with James Dickey—former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas—to understand this bill's impact on your operations and develop an actionable compliance plan.

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Information 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.

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Legislative Timeline

This bill's path through the Texas Legislature

Filed
Feb 12, 2025
Passed House
May 16, 2025
Passed Senate
May 29, 2025
Signed
Jun 20, 2025
Effective
Sep 1, 2025
TopicsHighwaysVehicles & TrafficVehicles & Traffic--rules of RoadBorderCounty GovernmentCounty Government--land Use & ZoningBusiness & CommerceBusiness & Commerce--general
03

House Authors

Rep. Sergio MunozDemocrat · Primary Author

Senate Sponsor

Sen. Juan HinojosaDemocrat · Primary Sponsor

Bill Text(with markup)

View bill text in multiple formats on Texas Legislature website

Fiscal NoteView Original

Related Legislation

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More from Rep. Sergio Munoz

View all bills by Rep. Sergio Munoz

Related by Topic

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Quick Reference

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about HB2731

Q

What does Texas HB2731 do?

HB2731 drastically lowers the population threshold (from 870,000 to 200,000) for counties bordering Mexico to regulate roadside commerce, effectively granting Cameron and Webb Counties the same regulatory powers previously reserved for El Paso and Hidalgo. If you own property or operate in the unincorporated areas of these counties, local Commissioners Courts now have the statutory authority to ban or restrict roadside vendors, live animal sales, and solicitation in your parking lots and adjacent rights-of-way.

Q

Who authored HB2731?

HB2731 was authored by Texas Representative Sergio Munoz during the Regular Session.

Q

When was HB2731 signed into law?

HB2731 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on June 20, 2025.

Q

Which agencies enforce HB2731?

HB2731 is enforced by County Commissioners Courts (Counties bordering Mexico with population > 200,000) and County Sheriffs and Constables (Unincorporated areas).

Q

How significant are the changes in HB2731?

The regulatory priority for HB2731 is rated as "moderate". Businesses and organizations should review the legislation to understand potential impacts.

Q

What is the cost impact of HB2731?

The cost impact of HB2731 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.

Q

What topics does HB2731 address?

HB2731 addresses topics including highways, vehicles & traffic, vehicles & traffic--rules of road, border and county government.

Q

What are the key dates for HB2731?

Key dates for HB2731: Effective date is 2025-09-01. Consult with legal counsel regarding applicability.

Q

What are the penalties under HB2731?

HB2731 establishes the following penalties: administrative/criminal penalty of Varies by County Order for Violation of new county orders regulating roadside vending or solicitation in unincorporated areas (typically Class C Misdemeanor under general Local Govt Code provisions, though not explicitly defined in this specific bill text).. Consult with legal counsel for specific applicability to your situation.

Q

Which Texas businesses are affected by HB2731?

HB2731 primarily affects Texas businesses and commercial enterprises. These businesses should review the legislation with their legal and compliance teams to understand potential impacts.

Need Strategic Guidance on This Legislation?

JD Key Consulting is an Austin, Texas-based government affairs firm led by James Dickey, former Chairman of the Republican Party of Texas. We specialize in Texas regulatory compliance and legislative strategy for data centers, energy, banking, and manufacturing.

Legislative data provided by LegiScanLast updated: January 11, 2026