A controversial piece of legislation regarding surplus toll road funds in Harris County has failed to reach a vote in the Texas House, leaving it in legislative limbo as the session concluded on Monday.
Senate Bill 2722, introduced by Sen. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), sought to limit the authority of the Harris County Commissioners Court over the surplus funds amassed by the Harris County Toll Road Authority.
If passed, the bill would have mandated that 30% of these surplus funds—an estimated $80 million—be allocated to the City of Houston, while the remaining 70% would remain under the control of the county government.
The Harris County Commissioners vocally opposed the proposed legislation. However, a spokesperson for Commissioner Adrian Garcia mentioned that he remains open to negotiating the surplus fund allocation with the City of Houston, particularly considering the city’s role in dispatching emergency responders to incidents on county toll roads.
“Commissioner (Adrian) Garcia is always willing to work with the City of Houston on shared responsibilities and reimbursing expenses incurred,” the spokesperson stated.
Garcia expressed gratitude towards the Harris County delegation for their opposition against the bill, stating it would divert dedicated transportation dollars from important transport projects.
Meanwhile, Houston Mayor John Whitmire did not comment on potential negotiations to access surplus toll road funds. In a statement from his office, he clarified that funding from toll roads was not included in the city’s budget considerations for fiscal year 2026.
“Two Harris County legislators responding to their constituents backed the HCTRA bill,” Whitmire remarked.
He pointed out that the city did not include any anticipated toll road revenue in the proposed balanced budget for FY2026, emphasizing his appreciation for the state legislature, which provided the city with $252 million in direct appropriations this session.
The contentious bill aimed to allocate 30% of surplus funds to reimburse law enforcement and emergency services for their responses to accidents on the toll roads. The remaining 70% would have been distributed among the county’s four precincts, based on the length of county roads in each area. Additionally, a small fraction of the county’s allocation—5%—could have been reserved for other road-related county departments or projects.
Initially supportive of the bill, Precinct 3 Commissioner Tom Ramsey changed his stance. He argued that the commissioners court was not dividing the surplus funds fairly during an April 10 Senate committee hearing. However, he later joined a statement from all four county commissioners denouncing SB 2722 as it progressed through the legislative process.
After the court reached a consensus on a more equitable distribution of mobility funds within the county, a spokesperson for Ramsey’s office confirmed his opposition to the bill.
SB 2722 successfully passed the Senate on April 29 and was voted out of a House committee by May 21. Despite gaining traction, it was ultimately referred to the calendars committee and was never scheduled for a vote in the House, sealing its fate before the session’s deadline.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones characterized the bill’s failure as an example of bipartisan cooperation at the county level. She emphasized the critical nature of mobility funds in addressing issues related to growth, public safety, and economic development in the region.
“SB 2722 (and its companion HB 5177) would have drained dollars from road building and repair to plug unrelated budget holes,” Briones asserted.
Expressing pride in the unity displayed against the legislation, she thanked her fellow commissioners for advocacy on behalf of all Harris County residents and appreciated the Harris County delegation’s willingness to engage meaningfully in discussions.
Precinct 1 Commissioner Rodney Ellis did not respond immediately to inquiries regarding the implications of SB 2722’s failure or the future of surplus toll road funds.
With the bill remaining in legislative purgatory, the fate of Harris County’s surplus toll road funds continues to be a point of concern and debate among local officials.
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