May 31, 2019 - TRA Austin -
With the Texas House and Senate now adjourned until January 2021, Texas Rail Advocates is happy to report that not a single bad rail bill that your advocacy organization opposed in committee passed during the 2019 session.
The 86th legislative session saw several dozen bills filed that could have wounded or killed plans by Texas Central Railway, a private concern, to bring high-speed rail to the state. In addition, Rider 44, which was placed in the state budget bill by Granbury Senator Brian Birdwell, would have prohibited the Texas Department of Transportation's Rail Division from working with Texas Central. The language was stripped out of the budget in conference committee.
In a news release Holly Reed from Texas Central Railway said "because tens of thousands of you sent letters and emails, posted to social media and called your legislators – or traveled to Austin – to voice your support, the Texas High-Speed Train has more momentum than ever. This was evident as legislators once again ensured the project can continue to move forward with no onerous or ambiguous regulation or legislation impacting the project."
On the freight rail side, bills that had the potential to increase truck weights, which would further damage Texas highways, were defeated as was a concerted attack on eminent domain against those that hold those rights.
There were some additional highlights for rail wins during the session.
The bills below have been either signed or sent to the Governor for his signature:
House Bill 71- Relating to the creation of regional transit authorities was signed by the Governor. SIGNED
HB 2775- Relating to the movement of pedestrians in front of, under, between, or through rail cars at a railroad grade crossing was sent to the Governor and awaits his signature.
One disappointment in the session was that House Bill 1068, an infrastructure tax credit for short line railroads in Texas, did not advance out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (TSLRRA) testified on behalf of the bill in April and was supported by TRA. W&M Chairman Burrows ultimately decided not to vote on HB-1068 and many similar tax credits in his Committee. In a statement TSLRRA said that members of the committee seemed to believe there is a need for short line funding but the issue fell to the controversial margins tax which short lines would have claimed credit against. This tax has repeatedly been the target of eventual phase out or elimination and the Chairman did not want to continue putting holes in it with tax breaks.
As with passenger rail development, TxDOT seems to be unwilling to support funding activities for short line or other freight rail projects unless directed by the state legislature.
With the Texas House and Senate now adjourned until January 2021, Texas Rail Advocates is happy to report that not a single bad rail bill that your advocacy organization opposed in committee passed during the 2019 session.
The 86th legislative session saw several dozen bills filed that could have wounded or killed plans by Texas Central Railway, a private concern, to bring high-speed rail to the state. In addition, Rider 44, which was placed in the state budget bill by Granbury Senator Brian Birdwell, would have prohibited the Texas Department of Transportation's Rail Division from working with Texas Central. The language was stripped out of the budget in conference committee.
In a news release Holly Reed from Texas Central Railway said "because tens of thousands of you sent letters and emails, posted to social media and called your legislators – or traveled to Austin – to voice your support, the Texas High-Speed Train has more momentum than ever. This was evident as legislators once again ensured the project can continue to move forward with no onerous or ambiguous regulation or legislation impacting the project."
On the freight rail side, bills that had the potential to increase truck weights, which would further damage Texas highways, were defeated as was a concerted attack on eminent domain against those that hold those rights.
There were some additional highlights for rail wins during the session.
The bills below have been either signed or sent to the Governor for his signature:
House Bill 71- Relating to the creation of regional transit authorities was signed by the Governor. SIGNED
HB 2775- Relating to the movement of pedestrians in front of, under, between, or through rail cars at a railroad grade crossing was sent to the Governor and awaits his signature.
One disappointment in the session was that House Bill 1068, an infrastructure tax credit for short line railroads in Texas, did not advance out of the House Ways and Means Committee. The Texas Short Line and Regional Railroad Association (TSLRRA) testified on behalf of the bill in April and was supported by TRA. W&M Chairman Burrows ultimately decided not to vote on HB-1068 and many similar tax credits in his Committee. In a statement TSLRRA said that members of the committee seemed to believe there is a need for short line funding but the issue fell to the controversial margins tax which short lines would have claimed credit against. This tax has repeatedly been the target of eventual phase out or elimination and the Chairman did not want to continue putting holes in it with tax breaks.
As with passenger rail development, TxDOT seems to be unwilling to support funding activities for short line or other freight rail projects unless directed by the state legislature.