Overall Vote Recommendation

Neutral

Principle Criteria

Free Enterprise

Property Rights

Personal Responsibility

Limited Government

Individual Liberty

Digest

HB 3457 amends Section 391.252(a), Transportation Code, which lists highway segments where a person may not erect a commercial sign that is adjacent to and visible from the highway. The bill specifically modifies the U.S. Highway 77 segment covered by that prohibition.

Under current law, the prohibition applies to U.S. Highway 77 between State Highway 186 and State Highway 44. House Bill 3457 changes the endpoint from State Highway 44 to State Highway 285, so the restricted segment would instead run between State Highway 186 and State Highway 285. In practical terms, the bill narrows the portion of U.S. Highway 77 subject to the commercial-sign restriction.

The bill does not create a new program, agency, permitting system, penalty, or funding mechanism. It makes a targeted change to the geographic scope of an existing outdoor-advertising restriction.

Author (1)

J. M. Lozano

Contact the Author

Rep. J. M. Lozano

Capitol Phone:

(512) 463-0463

Capitol Office:

CAP 1W.4

E-Mail:

[email protected]

Visit Official Website

Fiscal Notes

According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), HB3457 is not expected to have a significant fiscal implication for the State of Texas. The LBB fiscal note states that any costs associated with implementing the bill are assumed to be absorbable within existing resources.

For the state, the fiscal implications appear minimal because the bill makes a narrow geographic change to an existing commercial-sign restriction along U.S. Highway 77 rather than creating a new program, requiring new personnel, or establishing a new administrative process. The Department of Transportation is the source agency identified in the fiscal note.

For local governments, the LBB anticipates no fiscal implication. The fiscal note does not identify any expected cost, savings, revenue loss, or revenue gain for cities, counties, or other local governmental entities.

Free Enterprise

The bill modestly improves free enterprise by reducing a barrier to commercial advertising. The bill analysis states that the existing prohibition limits economic opportunities and advertising avenues for local businesses; narrowing the restricted segment would give affected businesses and property owners more flexibility to reach travelers along the highway.

Property Rights

The bill modestly improves private property rights by narrowing a state-imposed limitation on how certain property adjacent to U.S. Highway 77 may be used for commercial signage. It does not eliminate the underlying sign-control framework, but it reduces its application within the affected area.

Personal Responsibility

The bill has a mostly neutral impact on personal responsibility. It gives property owners and businesses somewhat more room to decide how to advertise or communicate with travelers, but it does not meaningfully alter incentives related to dependency, personal decision-making, or state substitution for individual responsibility.

Limited Government

The bill has a favorable but limited impact on limited government. It does not create a new program, agency, criminal offense, or rulemaking authority, and the bill analysis states that it does not grant additional rulemaking authority. The Legislative Budget Board also anticipates no significant fiscal implication to the state and no fiscal implication to local governments.

Individual Liberty

The bill modestly improves individual liberty by reducing an existing state restriction on lawful commercial signage along part of U.S. Highway 77. The effect is limited because the bill concerns a specific highway segment and commercial signs rather than broader speech, association, movement, or personal conduct.

Related Legislation

SB 1926 (Same As)

View Bill Text and Status