AUSTIN – Gov. Greg Abbott Wednesday signed two key laws to protect Texans from illegal street racing passed during the 88th regular Legislative session -- one which includes immediate impounding of any vehicles used in street racing.
The legislation, House Bill 1442 and House Bill 2899, enhances penalties for perpetrators of illegal street racing and provides law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to address these crimes.
“Illegal street racing has become a growing problem. Texas law enforcement needs new tools to curb illegal street racers whose activities threaten the very safety of everyone around them,” Abbott said at the signing at the Bob Bolen Public Safety Complex in Fort Worth.
Less than a month ago Fort Worth Police broke up a street takeover and arrested five people involved.
“Today, we’re here to ceremonially sign two key new laws that will empower police to curtail these illegal street racers,” Abbott said.
The governor thanked state Reps. Ann Johnson (D-Houston), and Mihaela Plesa (D-Plano), and state Sens. Paul Bettencourt (R-Houston), and Bob Hall (R-Rockwall) for directing the two pieces of legislation to the governor’s desk.
“Together, we are ensuring Texas remains a law-and-order state and that our law enforcement has the tools they need to secure our streets,” Abbott said.
HB 1442 (Johnson/Bettencourt) provides law enforcement and prosecutors additional tools to go after organized street racing and street takeovers in Texas and elicit more substantial consequences for the perpetrators Courtesy Photo.
of these crimes.
HB 2899 (Plesa/Hall) allows immediate removal of vehicles used in street racing or a reckless driving exhibition from the road for the safety of other drivers. The bill removes the current requirement that a vehicle be impounded only if there was property damage, or someone suffered bodily injury. Instead, HB 2899 allows impounding if the owner is charged with racing on a highway or reckless driving exhibition.
In February, Abbott initiated a statewide street takeover task force to combat the rise in dangerous street takeovers happening across Texas. Since the task force’s inception, numerous takeover events have been thwarted or stopped in all seven of Texas Highway Patrol Division regions.
Working closely with local law enforcement, DPS has made over 50 arrests, conducted more than 590 traffic stops, and issued over 390 traffic citations associated with illegal street racing across the state.
Abbott was joined for the ceremonial signing by Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker; Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Director Steve McCraw; Tarrant County Sheriff Bill Waybourn; Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes; Sens. Hall and Phil King; Reps. Plesa, Frederick Frazier, Charlie Geren, and Nate Schatzline; and other law enforcement officials and public safety advocates.
“Street racing and street takeovers are not a victimless crime,” Mayor Parker said. “Right here in Fort Worth, we lost a wonderful young couple who had three children. These types of incidents are all too common across the country.”
McCraw said the state has an obligation to keep its streets, motorists and citizens safe. “Texas has made it very clear that a street takeover will not stand, period,” McCraw said. “We have an obligation to protect the state, and the law enforcement community is excited to have additional tools to be proactive.”
“I thank the legislators and Gov. Abbott for getting these bills where they’re at today,” Sheriff Waybourn said. “They passed these bills because they knew how bad Texans and law enforcement needed it. This is how we conduct public safety in Texas.”
Fort Worth Police Chief Noakes said the signing stands as a sign of total cooperation, from the governor and the bipartisan legislation, down to police chiefs and their police officers.
“This is a cooperative effort to fight back against the dangerous street racing and street takeovers by criminals who pose a significant threat to public safety,” Noakes said. “By signing these bills, (Gov. Abbott) will help law enforcement agencies across all of Texas continue setting the example of what public service, public safety, and making our public a priority really looks like.”
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