According to the Legislative Budget Board (LBB), SB 1772 is not expected to have a significant fiscal impact on the state budget. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the agency responsible for implementing the highway designation, is assumed to be capable of absorbing any associated costs—such as designing, constructing, and installing commemorative signage—within its existing budget and operational resources​.

There is also no anticipated fiscal impact on local governments. The bill does not require any expenditures or actions by counties or municipalities and, therefore does not impose any costs or mandates on local jurisdictions.

This assessment is consistent with similar legislative acts that involve honorary roadway designations, which typically incur minimal expenses for signage and are often supported through donations or discretionary departmental funds. As long as the bill aligns with the Transportation Code’s provision requiring private donations for such signage unless otherwise appropriated, fiscal neutrality is maintained.

SB 1772 proposes to designate a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2360 in Starr County as the Jose Maria Longoria Sr. Memorial Highway. The designation serves as an official tribute to Mr. Longoria, a World War II veteran and respected civic figure, in accordance with Texas law that allows commemorative recognitions of individuals with significant local or state impact. The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is tasked with designing and erecting highway markers to reflect the designation.

While the bill does not expressly require private funding for signage, existing law (Transportation Code Section 225.021(c)) generally prohibits TxDOT from constructing memorial signage unless the costs are covered by grants or donations. According to the Legislative Budget Board, the fiscal impact of this measure is not expected to be significant, and any costs incurred can be absorbed through TxDOT’s existing operational resources​.

From a liberty-oriented perspective, the bill does not infringe on individual liberty, property rights, or free enterprise. It poses a modest request of a state agency for ceremonial purposes. Although a stricter adherence to the principle of limited government might favor exclusive reliance on private funding, the negligible fiscal impact and existing statutory guardrails mitigate this concern. Thus, Texas Policy Research recommends that lawmakers vote YES on SB 1772.

• Individual Liberty: The bill has a neutral to positive impact on individual liberty. It neither restricts nor expands individual rights. However, symbolic recognitions like memorial highway designations can promote a sense of community identity and civic pride, which contribute to the cultural framework that supports individual expression and recognition.
• Personal Responsibility: There is no direct effect on personal responsibility. SB 1772 does not create or remove obligations for individuals or communities; it merely establishes a ceremonial designation. The individual being honored, Jose Maria Longoria Sr., exemplifies personal responsibility through his military service and public leadership, which may serve as a positive model for others.
• Free Enterprise: The bill has no impact on the principle of free enterprise. It does not regulate, restrict, or interfere with business activities or economic freedom in any form.
• Private Property Rights: The bill does not affect private property rights. The designation applies exclusively to a segment of a public roadway and does not involve any changes to land use, ownership, or property access.
• Limited Government: The most relevant principle implicated is limited government. While the bill directs a state agency (TxDOT) to erect signage, it does so within the boundaries of existing law that prohibits using state funds for such markers unless private funding is secured. Even though the fiscal note indicates the costs can be absorbed through current resources, some may view any additional administrative directive—even symbolic—as a marginal expansion of government activity. Nonetheless, this impact is minimal and largely mitigated by the lack of new spending or authority granted.

• HB 4513 (Same As)