Abbott signs two bills 'to crack down on illegal street racing and protect Texans'

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott signed two pieces of legislation during a ceremony on Aug. 2 in Fort Worth, both of which aim to curb illegal street racing in Texas by strengthening penalties and giving police extra resources when handling such offenses.

"Today, I held a ceremonial bill signing in Fort Worth for two new laws to curb illegal street racing in Texas," Abbott wrote on X, formerly Twitter, following the event. "Texas will ensure law enforcement has the tools needed to crack down on illegal street racing and protect Texans."

House Bill 1442 pertains to “the prosecution of certain criminal conduct involving a reckless driving exhibition or racing on a highway,” according to bill text on LegiScan. The bipartisan bill was sponsored by five Democrats and two Republicans.

Gov. Greg Abbott signed legislation combatting illegal street racing into law. | Gov. Greg Abbott/Twitter/GovAbbott

LegiScan described another bill, HB 2899,, which was sponsored by five Democrats and four Republicans, as pertaining to “the impoundment of a vehicle used in the commission of the offense of racing on a highway or in the commission of certain criminal conduct involving a reckless driving exhibition.”

KTRK reported that  officials have said races and street "takeovers" have become more common in large cities such as Houston, Dallas, and Austin, with state and local leaders asserting that the possibility of potential violators losing their vehicles could prevent them from committing such offenses.

"Illegal street racing has become a growing problem, and Texas law enforcement needs new tools to curb illegal street racers whose activities threaten the very safety of everyone around them," Abbott told KTRK. “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."

HB2899 is already in effect, and HB1442 will go into effect in September. The Harris County District Attorney's office said in march that it handled 1,000 street racing cases in 2022, resulting in 200 cars being seized, KTRK reported.