The Senate Transportation Committee on Thursday advanced multiple bills to the full Senate after hearings and brief presentations. Several measures received unanimous or near-unanimous support and were recommended for placement on the local and uncontested calendar where noted.

Key actions and outcomes at a glance:

- SB 22 43 (Sen. West) — Grants the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles authority to require VIN inspections by rule in cases where trailers or semi-trailers cannot be positively identified; reported favorably to the full Senate (committee recorded 6 ayes, no nays).

- SB 19 19 (Sen. West) — Increases the internal settlement limit for TxDOT liability claims between $10,000 and $100,000 to allow such claims to be processed internally; reported favorably to the full Senate (committee recorded 6 ayes, no nays).

- SB 18 95 (Sen. Perry) — Designates State Highway Loop 88 (a relief route around Lubbock) as the "First Responders Memorial Loop"; reported favorably to the full Senate and recommended for local and uncontested calendar placement (committee recorded 6 ayes, no nays).

- SB 20 39 (Sen. Hancock) — Amend traffic-code rules to treat nonpedestrian sidewalk users who are using crosswalks (e.g., bicycles, e-bikes, scooters) as having pedestrian obligations and protections for crosswalk use; reported favorably to the full Senate and recommended for local and uncontested calendar placement (committee recorded 6 ayes, no nays).

- SB 13 94 (Sen. Hall) — (Related matter discussed in committee; vote recorded) Reported favorably to the full Senate (committee recorded 6 ayes, no nays) and recommended for the local and uncontested calendar.

- SB 2 49 (Sen. Flores committee substitute) — Created an account for memorial markers (technical/administrative change to permit donations and subsequent appropriation); substitute adopted and reported favorably (committee recorded 6 ayes, no nays).

Each measure was laid out, discussed briefly or heard with testimony where relevant, and then reported to the full Senate with the committee’s recommendation. Where recorded, the committee vote tallies were 6 ayes and no nays.