Legislative Update & Transit Headlines

April 18, 2025

DART Bill Hearing Reset

HB 3187 will be heard in House Transportation on Thursday after Easter break.

How do I make my voice heard at the Legislature?

This excerpt is from an article posted February 25, 2025, on the Texas State Law Library's site. For the full article on how to participate in the legislative process, click on the "Read More" link below the excerpt.

I want to testify about a bill. How can I do that?

To testify in person:

Start by signing up for an account on Texas Legislature Online’s MyTLO. You’ll need to opt in to the bill alert system to get e-mail alerts about the bill’s progress.
Keep an eye out for a notification telling you when the committee will hold a hearing for the bill. You can also browse the Committees page on TLO for meeting info.
Once it’s announced, make plans to attend the hearing. Not all committee hearings offer witness testimony, though. Some may only hear invited testimony. Be sure to check the hearing notice to see if public testimony is an option.
Sign up to testify! How you sign up depends on whether it is a House or Senate committee hearing.
Once your name is called, state your thoughts! Witnesses usually have 2 or 3 minutes to testify, but this can vary. The agenda will usually state how much time each witness has.

What if I can’t testify in person?

If you can’t make it to the committee meeting in person, you have the option to submit electronic comments without testifying in person. Check the notice of public hearing for the link to submit comments. The comments will be included in the committee hearing’s public record.

Of course, you can always contact your representatives directly to express your thoughts. You can find a list of members and contact info on the websites of the House and Senate. If you aren’t sure who your representatives are, search your address in the Who Represents Me? tool.

Call to Action

DART Needs Your Help

Advocate at the local level (city and county officials):

The importance of transit to your business, family, and the region
Resolve issues at home in North Texas instead of Austin at the Legislature
Support voter-approved transit funding sources

Advocate at the regional level to (NCTCOG):

Develop realistic and achievable Transit 2.0 recommendations
Prioritize regional funding to jurisdictions with transit
Pursue more funding tools for regional transit initiatives

Advocate at the state level to (State Senators and Representatives):

Oppose any legislation that limits transit funding
The value of public transit in ever-growing North Texas
Create economic development tools for transit member cities

Click here to see all the bills we're tracking

Bills We're Watching Closely

HB 3187 Shaheen, Matt (R)

Relating to powers of regional transportation authorities.

Companions: SB 1557 Paxton, Angela(Identical)

AI Summary: This bill focuses on enhancing the operational capabilities of regional transportation authorities in Texas by instituting a General Mobility Program that allows municipalities within those authorities to allocate a portion of their sales and use tax revenues for transportation-related improvements. Under this program, municipalities can use up to 25% of the tax for projects including the construction and maintenance of streets, sidewalks, and drainage improvements.

Additionally, the bill modifies the authority's ability to pledge revenues for bond security, changing the cap from all or part to not more than 75%, thus providing increased financial flexibility. The usage of excess revenue is expanded to support operating reserves and further fund the newly established mobility program.

Further adjustments to the sales tax rates allow for more gradual increases, while restrictions on the issuance of obligations prevent authorities from accruing financial obligations when there's an impending withdrawal election. The legislation also continues the collection of taxes in previously withdrawn units until specified obligations are met, thereby ensuring financial stability within those regions affected by withdrawals. The law is set to become effective on September 1, 2025.

Bill History: 04-24-25 H Meeting set for 8:00 A.M., E2.010 - House Transportation

SB 1557 Paxton, Angela (R)

Relating to powers of regional transportation authorities.

Companions: HB 3187 Shaheen, Matt (Identical)

Bill History: 03-06-25 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation

HB 4348 Capriglione, Giovanni (R)

Relating to a prohibition on certain roadway projects and to the distribution of affordable housing funds to local governmental entities that violate that prohibition.

Companions: SB 1993 Hall, Bob (Identical)

AI Summary: The proposed legislation aims to tighten local governmental entities' authority over roadway projects, reinforcing the importance of community involvement and ensuring road functionality is prioritized.

Delegated Control: The bill amends the Transportation Code to state that municipalities have delegated control over their public roadways instead of exclusive control, allowing for perhaps more oversight and cooperation with higher authorities.

When dealing with the closure of streets or alleys, municipalities are now required to follow a series of steps. This includes soliciting public input through hearings, submitting petitions with specific criteria (like demonstrating traffic congestion will not worsen), and securing voter approval through an election.

In a significant shift, the bill prohibits local governmental entities from engaging in roadway projects that reallocate roadway space (for instance, converting lanes into bike lanes or narrowing lanes) unless creating new traffic lanes. This ensures that vehicular capacity is not compromised.

Additionally, there is a strict complaint process: complaints about violations must be investigated, and findings can result in administrative actions. If violations persist, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs will be notified, which can lead to financial assistance being withheld until the issues are resolved.

Lastly, Section 311.001(c) of the Transportation Code is repealed, further simplifying the framework for municipal road management. This bill is poised to take effect immediately with sufficient legislative support or by September 1, 2025, if not. - Version: FIL

Bill History: 04-01-25 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Transportation

SB 1993 Hall, Bob (R)

Relating to a prohibition on certain roadway projects and to the distribution of affordable housing funds to local governmental entities that violate that prohibition.

Companions: HB 4348 Capriglione, Giovanni (Identical)

Bill History: 03-17-25 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation

HB 5049 Shaheen, Matt (R)

Relating to the composition and authority of certain subregional boards of regional transportation authorities.

Companions: SB 2118 Parker, Tan (Identical)

AI Summary: The bill introduces significant changes to the governance structure of subregional boards under the Texas Transportation Code, specifically in Section 452.112 and related sections. A major change is that each municipality in the subregional authority will appoint one member to the board, simplifying the previous arrangement where municipalities collectively appointed 15 members. This shift emphasizes the governance of local municipalities in a more equitable manner.

Another critical modification is the voting structure: the designated member from the principal municipality will have enhanced voting power, able to cast three votes instead of aligning votes based on multiple members per municipality.

The bill also revises member terms; all board members will now have staggered two-year terms, with about half of the members terms expiring each year to ensure continuity and regular turnover. Moreover, the role of the presiding officer will rotate among the members every two years, ensuring no member serves consecutive terms in this capacity, which is intended to promote fairness and shared leadership.

Additionally, several sections of the current Transportation Code are repealed, which reflects a legislative intent to streamline the governing process by removing outdated provisions. Finally, the bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, concluding with the expiration of current board terms and the immediate establishment of the restructured subregional boards. - Version: FIL

Bill History: 04-03-25 H Introduced and referred to committee on House Transportation

SB 2118 Parker, Tan (R)

Relating to the composition and authority of certain subregional boards of regional transportation authorities.

Companions: HB 5049 Shaheen, Matt (Identical)

Bill History: 03-24-25 S Introduced and referred to committee on Senate Transportation

Transit in the Headlines

North Texas Transit Leaders Want 'New Vision' for Regional Transportation

keranews.org

North Texas transportation leaders want to restructure transit in the region to solve a dispute with some cities dissatisfied with the system.

The Regional Transportation Council voted last week to push for legislation that would see the organization spending the next two years working on a “new transit vision,” said transit director Michael Morris.

“I think we need a whole different transportation authority way to deliver transit in the region,” he said. “I think the DART cities are paying more than their fair share for transit. I think there’s lots of communities that aren’t paying any share to transit.”

This comes as a handful of member cities are pushing for state legislation that would cut funding for Dallas Area Rapid Transit by 25%. Two bills would direct a portion of tax contributions to the agency into a general mobility program cities could use for other transit projects.

"I think there needs to be legislative change,” Morris said. “I happen to think it’s not the legislation that was introduced.”

$63.9MM Grant Rescinded From Texas High-Speed Rail Project

rtands.com

Previously, RT&S reported that the “Texas state legislature had prepared a bill to prevent the construction of high-speed rail service between Houston and Dallas from interfering with or altering existing roads or highways.”

Now, plans for high-speed rail between the two cities face another hurdle. The FRA has rescinded a $63.9 million grant to Amtrak for said project. The Amtrak Texas High-speed Rail Corridor cost estimate has grown to more than $40 billion, and Texas Central had turned to Amtrak to explore options. According to a report in ENR, the FRA had awarded Amtrak the grant last year by way of a program that seeks to “establish new routes, restore service on former intercity passenger rail routes and enhance service on existing routes.”

However, those involved with the project have not given up. According to KHOU 11, Texas Central lead investor, Kleinheinz Capital Partners, gave the following statement: “We agree with (US Transportation Secretary Sean) Duffy that this project should be led by the private sector, and we will be proud to take it forward. This project is shovel-ready and will create significant new jobs and economic growth for Texas as part of President Trump’s efforts to boost the U.S. economy.”

As you can see from the articles and bills we've been posting, there's a lot going on with transit in North Texas. If your company/organization is interested in joining the Coalition, please contact Christy Willhite, Executive Director, cwillhite@transitnorthtexas.org.