HB 3679 Texas House · 89th Legislature (2025)

Relating to the operation of certain vehicles during disasters.

HB 3679 temporarily allows vehicles to use dyed motor fuel (typically for off-road use) on public roads during declared disasters like hurricanes or floods. It permits this fuel use for 30 days after a disaster declaration ends, provided the vehicle operates in the declared disaster area or where the fuel was added. The bill also creates a new permit allowing oversized agricultural vehicles to deliver farm products (like crops, livestock, or processed foods) during disasters, bypassing standard weight restrictions. This applies to vehicles transporting "agricultural commodities" as defined in the bill, specifically for disaster-related deliveries. The policy directly affects commercial fuel users and agricultural transporters operating during emergency periods.
Bill status passed 3 of 5 stages cleared
Introduction
Mar 2025
Committee Review
May 2025
House Passage
May 2025
Senate Passage
Governor
Introduced Mar 25, 2025 Last action May 19, 2025
Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Introduced Engrossed · 4 edits · May 16, 2025
MODERATE
The bill was renumbered and reformatted from an introduced draft to an engrossed version, with substantive changes to the Transportation Code regarding disaster permits for agricultural vehicles. Key policy changes include adding a new requirement for Department of Public Safety authorization before permits can be issued, modifying permit expiration conditions to align with dyed diesel fuel tax rules, and updating the effective date to September 1, 2025.
Scope change
The bill's scope expanded to include a new authorization requirement from the Department of Public Safety for issuing disaster permits and added a new expiration condition tied to IRS penalty resumption dates for dyed diesel fuel.
REQUIREMENT

Added requirement that the Department of Public Safety must authorize permit issuance before the Texas Department of Transportation can issue disaster permits for agricultural vehicles.

TIMELINE

Changed permit expiration conditions to expire on the earlier of the disaster declaration expiration date or when the IRS resumes penalties on dyed diesel fuel sales.

Set the effective date of the Act to September 1, 2025, with provisions for automatic weight limit changes on federal highways if authorized by the United States.

DEFINITION

Added new language clarifying that permits apply to vehicles operating in areas affected by disaster declarations.

Floor votes · House May 15, 2025

How they voted

1240
Passed · 21 other
Total votes 145
May 15, 2025
D Democratic59
51 Yea 8
86% Yea
R Republican86
73 Yea 13
84% Yea
Vote distribution
All Yea All Nay Mixed No data
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
32
Key actions
9
Committee
7
Amendments
2
May 19, 2025
Committee
Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs
upper
May 19, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
upper
May 19, 2025
Introduced
Received from the House
upper
May 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed
lower
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Passed to engrossment as amended
lower
May 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Amended
lower
May 15, 2025
House · Passed
House Vote: pass (124-0-21)
house
Apr 16, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report sent to Calendars
lower
Apr 15, 2025
Lower · Passed
Committee report distributed
lower
Apr 9, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported favorably as substituted
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Left pending in committee
lower
Apr 3, 2025
Lower · Passed
Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
lower
Mar 25, 2025
Committee
Referred to Transportation
lower
Mar 25, 2025
Introduced
Read first time
lower
3 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors