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Texas Legislature· SB 857Effective on 9/1/25

Relating to the authorized removal of certain motor vehicles, the official text

Shown verbatim: the complete text as captured from the official page posted by the Texas Legislature, fetched 2026-08-29. Where this bill amends existing law, language marked for deletion in the official page appears here in brackets. This is the enrolled version. The official bill page.
S.B. No. 857

AN ACT

relating to the authorized removal of certain motor vehicles.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. The heading to Section 545.305, Transportation

Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 545.305. AUTHORIZED REMOVAL OF CERTAIN MOTOR VEHICLES

[UNLAWFULLY STOPPED VEHICLE].

SECTION 2. Section 545.305(a), Transportation Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(a) A peace officer listed under Article 2A.001, Code of

Criminal Procedure, or a license and weight inspector of the

department may remove or require the operator or a person in charge

of a vehicle to move a vehicle from a highway if the vehicle:

(1) is unattended on a bridge, viaduct, or causeway or

in a tube or tunnel and the vehicle is obstructing traffic;

(2) is unlawfully parked and blocking the entrance to

a private driveway;

(3) has been reported as stolen;

(4) is identified as having been stolen in a warrant

issued on the filing of a complaint;

(5) is unattended and the officer has reasonable

grounds to believe that the vehicle has been abandoned for longer

than 48 hours;

(6) is disabled so that normal operation is impossible

or impractical and the owner or person in charge of the vehicle is:

(A) incapacitated and unable to provide for the

vehicle's removal or custody; or

(B) not in the immediate vicinity of the vehicle;

(7) is disabled so that normal operation is impossible

or impractical and the owner or person in charge of the vehicle does

not designate a particular towing or storage company;

(8) is operated by a person:

(A) an officer arrests for an alleged offense and

the officer is required by law to take the person into custody; or

(B) in violation of Section 521.021, 521.457,

601.191, or 729.002; or

(9) is, in the opinion of the officer, a hazard,

interferes with a normal function of a governmental agency, or

because of a catastrophe, emergency, or unusual circumstance is

imperiled.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 857 passed the Senate on

April 3, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 24, Nays 7.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 857 passed the House on

May 28, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 83, Nays 54, two

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor
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