Regular Session
Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
Key implementation requirements and action items for compliance with this legislation
No amendments are necessary. Real estate leases, vendor agreements, and Master Service Agreements (MSAs) referencing "FM 2493" remain legally valid. The memorial name is honorary and does not replace the official route number for legal descriptions.
No impact. No new certifications or driver training modules are required.
No impact. Do not update registered agent filings, tax documents, or billing addresses. Continued use of "FM 2493" is required for accurate postal service and emergency response validation.
No mandatory costs. The statute does not levy fees on businesses. However, the installation of signage is contingent upon private donations (see *Strategic Ambiguities* below).
The Funding Trigger (Texas Transportation Code § 225.021(c)):
While the law designates the highway effective September 1, 2025, TxDOT is statutorily prohibited from designing, constructing, or erecting the markers unless they receive a grant or donation to cover the cost.
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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
| Senate Research Center | S.B. 682 |
| 89R1825 AND-D | By: Hughes |
| Transportation | |
| 4/11/2025 | |
| As Filed |
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
On August 3, 2007, two Noonday Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) firefighters from the Flint-Gresham VFD lost their lives during firefighting operations at a house fire near the town of Bullard, Texas, in Smith County. The two men who lost their lives were forty-two-year-old Kevin Williams, a five-year veteran of the Noonday department, and 19-year-old Austin Cheek, who had served less than a year with the department. Captain Williams and Firefighter Cheek had relieved the Flint-Greshem VFD interior attack team and continued the interior attack operations of the house fire. After the next 15 to 25 minutes of firefighting operations, Captain Williams and Firefighter Cheek were overcome by the fire conditions, and died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
In honor of their service and sacrifice to their community, we are proposing to rename a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in Flint and its intersection with County Road 150. The proposal would designate this portion of road as "Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway."
As proposed, S.B. 682 amends current law relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportation Code, by adding Section 225.243, as follows:
Sec. 225.243.� CAPTAIN KEVIN WILLIAMS AND FIREFIGHTER AUSTIN CHEEK MEMORIAL HIGHWAY.� (a) Provides that the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in Flint and its intersection with County Road 150 is designated as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway.
(b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), subject to Section 225.021(c) (relating to prohibiting TxDOT from designing, constructing, or erecting a marker unless a grant or donation of funds is made to cover the cost), to design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek 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.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
| S.B. No. 682 | ||
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| relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road | ||
| 2493 in Smith County as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter | ||
| Austin Cheek 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 225.243 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 225.243. CAPTAIN KEVIN WILLIAMS AND FIREFIGHTER AUSTIN | ||
| CHEEK MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. (a) The portion of Farm-to-Market Road | ||
| 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in | ||
| Flint and its intersection with County Road 150 is designated as the | ||
| Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial | ||
| Highway. | ||
| (b) Subject to Section 225.021(c), the department shall: | ||
| (1) design and construct markers indicating the | ||
| designation as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin | ||
| Cheek 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 Robert Nichols, Chair, Senate Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | Jerry McGinty, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | SB682 by Hughes (Relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway.), As Introduced |
| Source Agencies: | 601 Department of Transportation |
| LBB Staff: | JMc, AAL, TG |
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Common questions about SB682
SB 682 designates a specific portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County as the "Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway. " This is a ceremonial infrastructure designation that imposes no regulatory burden on private industry; legal postal addresses and route numbers remain unchanged. Implementation Timeline Effective Date: September 1, 2025 Compliance Deadline: N/A (No mandatory action required).
SB682 was authored by Texas Senator Bryan Hughes during the Regular Session.
SB682 was signed into law by Governor Greg Abbott on May 28, 2025.
SB682 is enforced by Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
The compliance urgency for SB682 is rated as "low". Businesses and organizations should review the requirements and timeline to ensure timely compliance.
The cost impact of SB682 is estimated as "low". This may vary based on industry and implementation requirements.
SB682 addresses topics including smith county, highways, captain kevin williams & firefighter austin cheek memorial highway, signs and transportation, texas department of.
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