March 9, 2025 - TRA Austin -

We're catching up on some rail bills that have been filed over the last week, some that we favor and one that we do not.  All of the current session bills we track can be found on our "Under the Dome" page https://texasrailadvocates.org/issues/2025-texas-legislature-rail-issues

• High Speed Rail Houston to Austin
• A grant program to fund railroad grade crossing separation projects
• Increasing penalties when thieves break into railroad freight cars
• A bill that has bad implications for voter approved transit projects in Austin and statewide

State Senator Molly Cook (D) Austin has filed Senate Bill 1769 that would require the Texas Department of Transportation to enter into a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA) with a private entity to construct, maintain and operate high-speed rail connecting Houston to Austin. The project would reasonably expect to reach speeds of at least 110 miles per hour. This is similar in nature to a bill filed in November by Representative John Bucy and Senator Sarah Eckhardt for a private entity to be awarded a CDA on the I-35 corridor from DFW to Austin and San Antonio.

Representatives Jared Patterson (R) Frisco and Ana Hernandez (D) Houston filed House Bill 3727. This bill is identical to Senate Bill 1555. It would be used to separate roads from rail crossings that are off the state highway system and also rail-pedestrian grade separation projects. For the purpose of increasing public safety, enhancing economic development, and reducing traffic, TxDOT would establish and administer a program to award grants to political subdivisions of the state or railroad companies.

Representative Carl Tepper (R) Lubbock filed House Bill 548 that increases the penalities for breaking into freight rail cars. There has been a significant increase in theft of merchandise while trains are stopped or parked.  A somewhat similar bill was filed by Rep. David Spiller (HB 674) and Senator Tan Parker (SB 1279).

One bill we don't agree with is a retread from the 2023 session. House Bill 3879 filed by Representative Ellen Troxclair (R) Austin. This bill would affect Project Connect in Austin and other statewide local transit projects if a project is subject to change. This follows a bill filed by Troxclair last session that was derailed on a technicality. The latest bill would prevent local governments and their government corporations from using money raised through tax rate elections to repay future bond debt. It would also let taxpayers sue to stop future tax collection if the scope of a project changes significantly after initial voter approval.

Some of these recently filed bills are awaiting to be assigned to committees and will hopefully receive a hearing in the near future.