Texas Senate bill by Sen. Schwertner clarifies vehicle removal rules on highways

Passed bill authored by State Sen. Charles Schwertner seeks to clarify circumstances under which peace officers or authorized inspectors can remove motor vehicles from highways to improve traffic safety and management, according to the Texas Legislature website.

In the Senate, nine Democrats and 15 Republicans voted in favor of the bill, while two Democrats and five Republicans opposed it.

Meanwhile, in the House, 25 Democrats and 58 Republicans voted in favor, while 29 Democrats and 25 Republicans voted against it.

Charles Schwertner introduced the bill in the Texas Senate on Wednesday, Jan. 22, during the 89th regular legislative session.

Schwertner graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a BS.

Schwertner, a Republican, was elected to the Texas State Senate in 2013 to represent the state’s 5th Senate district, replacing previous state senator Steve Ogden.

According to the Texas Legislature, the bill’s official text was summarized as follows: ‘Relating to the authorized removal of certain motor vehicles’.

The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.

In essence, this bill amends Section 545.305 of the Texas Transportation Code, detailing circumstances under which a peace officer or authorized inspector can remove or mandate the removal of certain motor vehicles from highways. Authorized removal applies if a vehicle is unattended and obstructs traffic on structures like bridges; is unlawfully parked and blocks driveways; is reported stolen or identified as such upon warrant issuance; is believed abandoned for over 48 hours; is disabled and the owner is incapacitated or absent; lacks a designated towing or storage company when disabled; is operated by someone arrested or in violation of specified sections of the law; or poses a hazard or interference. The bill is set to take effect Sept. 1, 2025.

The bill received its final legislative approval on Wednesday, May 28, and was signed into law by Gov. Greg Abbott on Friday, June 20.

Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.

You can read more about the bills and other measures here.