BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 682 89R1825 AND-D By: Hughes Transportation 4/11/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT On August 3, 2007, two Noonday Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) firefighters from the Flint-Gresham VFD lost their lives during firefighting operations at a house fire near the town of Bullard, Texas, in Smith County. The two men who lost their lives were forty-two-year-old Kevin Williams, a five-year veteran of the Noonday department, and 19-year-old Austin Cheek, who had served less than a year with the department. Captain Williams and Firefighter Cheek had relieved the Flint-Greshem VFD interior attack team and continued the interior attack operations of the house fire. After the next 15 to 25 minutes of firefighting operations, Captain Williams and Firefighter Cheek were overcome by the fire conditions, and died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries. In honor of their service and sacrifice to their community, we are proposing to rename a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in Flint and its intersection with County Road 150. The proposal would designate this portion of road as "Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway." As proposed, S.B. 682 amends current law relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportation Code, by adding Section 225.243, as follows: Sec. 225.243. CAPTAIN KEVIN WILLIAMS AND FIREFIGHTER AUSTIN CHEEK MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. (a) Provides that the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in Flint and its intersection with County Road 150 is designated as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway. (b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), subject to Section 225.021(c) (relating to prohibiting TxDOT from designing, constructing, or erecting a marker unless a grant or donation of funds is made to cover the cost), to design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway and any other appropriate information and erect a marker at each end of the highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway. SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 682
89R1825 AND-D By: Hughes
Transportation
4/11/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 682
89R1825 AND-D
By: Hughes
Transportation
4/11/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
On August 3, 2007, two Noonday Volunteer Fire Department (VFD) firefighters from the Flint-Gresham VFD lost their lives during firefighting operations at a house fire near the town of Bullard, Texas, in Smith County. The two men who lost their lives were forty-two-year-old Kevin Williams, a five-year veteran of the Noonday department, and 19-year-old Austin Cheek, who had served less than a year with the department. Captain Williams and Firefighter Cheek had relieved the Flint-Greshem VFD interior attack team and continued the interior attack operations of the house fire. After the next 15 to 25 minutes of firefighting operations, Captain Williams and Firefighter Cheek were overcome by the fire conditions, and died of smoke inhalation and thermal injuries.
In honor of their service and sacrifice to their community, we are proposing to rename a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in Flint and its intersection with County Road 150. The proposal would designate this portion of road as "Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway."
As proposed, S.B. 682 amends current law relating to the designation of a portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter B, Chapter 225, Transportation Code, by adding Section 225.243, as follows:
Sec. 225.243. CAPTAIN KEVIN WILLIAMS AND FIREFIGHTER AUSTIN CHEEK MEMORIAL HIGHWAY. (a) Provides that the portion of Farm-to-Market Road 2493 in Smith County between its intersection with Church Street in Flint and its intersection with County Road 150 is designated as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway.
(b) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), subject to Section 225.021(c) (relating to prohibiting TxDOT from designing, constructing, or erecting a marker unless a grant or donation of funds is made to cover the cost), to design and construct markers indicating the designation as the Captain Kevin Williams and Firefighter Austin Cheek Memorial Highway and any other appropriate information and erect a marker at each end of the highway and at appropriate intermediate sites along the highway.
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2025.