Senate Transportation Committee reviews Gov. Ferguson’s 2026 supplemental transportation budget

The Senate Transportation Committee on Jan. 13 heard a work session on Gov. Ferguson’s proposed 2026 supplemental transportation budget, which officials say emphasizes preservation and maintenance and uses a mix of bonds and cash to avoid exceeding bonding capacity.

Haley Gamble, the committee’s fiscal coordinator, reviewed last year’s adopted transportation plan (stated in the presentation as about $15.5 billion) and said the Department of Transportation accounts for the majority of that total. She and budget staff highlighted that the 2025 session produced roughly $8.9 billion in new revenues over 10 years — including a 6¢ gasoline increase (inflating 2% annually), an extra 3¢ diesel tax that phases up, higher weight and license fees, and a 0.1% sales‑tax transfer to transportation beginning next biennium.

Budget staff said updated revenue forecasts reduced near‑term fuel‑tax receipts (the presentation cited roughly a $108 million downward…