March 3, 2019 - TRA Newswire -

If a small band of rural legislators get their way, Texans will not see a private investor-owned company build a high-speed rail line within your lifetime.

Texas Rail Advocates is tracking 22 bills filed in the Texas House and Senate, most of which are designed to kill a bullet train project between Dallas and Houston. This is the third legislative session that rural legislators have filed numerous bills in opposition to private enterprise constructing the 240 mile link between two major mega-regions.

If approved by the Federal Railroad Administration later this year, Texas Central Railway could begin construction of the line to connect Dallas and Houston with trains running up to 200 miles per hour and covering the distance in 90 minutes.

Some of the bills filed have now been assigned to committees and Texas Rail Advocates is tracking all rail bills through this portal. We encourage supporters to call and write your state representative and senator and tell them you want this game-changing high-speed rail line built.

The following bills, which Texas Rail Advocates does NOT support, have now been referred to a committee. HB=House Bill and SB=Senate Bill
HB 709 by John Wray of Waxahachie -referred to House Transportation
HB 1055 by John Wray of Waxahachie -referred to House Transportation
HB 1234 by Cecil Bell of Magnolia -referred to House Transportation
HB 1235 by Cecil Bell of Magnolia -referred to House Transportation
HB 1242 by Trent Ashby of Lufkin -referred to House Transportation
HB 1245 by Trent Ashby of Lufkin -referred to House Land and Resource Management
HB 1367 by Cody Harris of Palestine -referred to House Land and Resource Management
HB 1368 by Cody Harris of Palestine -referred to House Transportation
HB 1369 by Cody Harris of Palestine -referred to House Transportation
HB 1370 by Cody Harris of Palestine -referred to House Administration
SB 478 by Brandon Creighton of Conroe -referred to Senate Transportation
SB 552 by Charles Schwertner of Georgetown -referred to Senate State Affairs
SB 657 by Brian Birdwell of Granbury -referred to Senate Transportation
SB 775 by Brandon Creighton of Conroe -referred to Senate Transportation
SB 975 by Lois Kolkhorst of Brenham -referred to Senate Transportation
You can track progress of these bills through this link: https://capitol.texas.gov/