Texas House Bill HCR 98

Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

• Bill Becomes a Law: 7/7/26

Caption

Urging Congress to enhance coordination among federal, state, and local authorities in the deployment of C-UAS technologies for border security.

Summary

HCR 98 is a Texas concurrent resolution urging the United States Congress to improve coordination among federal, state, and local authorities in the deployment of counter-unmanned aircraft systems (C-UAS) for border security. The resolution frames drone activity at the U.S.-Mexico border as a growing security challenge and argues that effective response requires closer cooperation, information sharing, joint training, and clear communication protocols among agencies. The resolution also notes that current federal law limits C-UAS border-security operations to certain federal departments and that states are generally preempted from regulating aviation safety and airspace use. It points to the need for federal action to expand authority, and references proposed federal legislation and federal law enforcement support for broader participation by state, local, tribal, and territorial partners. The resolution is memorializing Congress rather than changing Texas law directly.

Impact

HCR 98 does not amend Texas statutes or create new state regulatory authority; instead, it is a formal legislative request to Congress. Its practical effect is to advocate for federal policy changes that could expand the role of state and local entities in counter-drone operations at the border and potentially lead to future federal funding, training, and operational authority for anti-drone technology. The resolution was adopted overwhelmingly by both chambers and signed by the governor, signaling official Texas support for expanded C-UAS coordination.

Sentiment

The overall sentiment around the resolution is strongly supportive and security-focused. The House and Senate both approved it with very large margins, indicating broad bipartisan agreement that drone threats at the border warrant greater coordination and federal action. The tone of the bill text emphasizes urgency, public safety, and the need to respond to evolving cartel and border-security threats.

Contention

The main point of contention is not within the resolution itself but in the underlying policy question it raises: whether states should be allowed to participate more directly in counter-drone detection and mitigation at the border. The resolution acknowledges federal preemption over aviation safety and the current limitation of C-UAS authority to select federal agencies, which suggests a legal and jurisdictional tension between state border-security interests and federal control of airspace and drone mitigation. The near-unanimous votes indicate little overt opposition in the Legislature, though the two House nays suggest some limited concern about expanding anti-drone authority or the federal-state balance.