The bill amends the Transportation Code to streamline the approval process for surety bonds related to contracts that authorize oversize or overweight vehicles to cross roads or highways. Specifically, it updates the requirements for executing a surety bond by removing the need for approval from the comptroller and the attorney general, instead designating the Texas Department of Transportation as the sole approving authority. This change is reflected in the amendments to Sections 623.051(d) and 623.052(b), where the language specifying the previous approval process is deleted and replaced with the new requirement for approval by the Texas Department of Transportation.

Additionally, the bill emphasizes that the surety bond must be conditioned on the person fulfilling the obligations of the contract and must adequately compensate for maintenance and repair costs associated with the vehicle's crossing. The changes made by this Act will only apply to surety bond approvals occurring on or after its effective date, which can be immediate if it receives a two-thirds vote from both houses of the legislature, or otherwise will take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Transportation Code 623.051, Transportation Code 623.052 (Transportation Code 623)
House Committee Report: Transportation Code 623.051, Transportation Code 623.052 (Transportation Code 623)