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Bills We're Watching
HB 167 Tepper, Carl (R)
Relating to the implementation of diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives and certain prohibited considerations in contracting by governmental entities.
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 205 Cortez, Philip (D)
Relating to the eligibility for grants for alternative fueling facilities.
Companions: HB 2290 Cortez, Philip (Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 385 Lopez, Ray (D)
Relating to the collection and publication of affordable housing information by certain municipalities and the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 436 Leo-Wilson, Terri (R)
Relating to the requirement by certain governmental entities for diversity, equity, and inclusion statements and training from employees, prospective employees, and contractors.
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 483 Bucy, John (D)
Relating to the use of state money for high-speed rail operated by a private entity and to the construction of certain high-speed rail.
General Remarks: This bill would allow the Texas Department of Transportation to enter into a comprehensive development agreement with a private entity to construct, maintain and operate high-speed rail service between Dallas-Fort Worth and San Antonio along the I-35 travel corridor. The service should reasonably be expected to reach speeds of 110 miles per hour or more.
This bill would specifically address the needs of congestion mitigation along the I-35 corridor and should not affect the current law passed by Texas legislators and signed by the governor that prohibits the use of state funds in building a high-speed rail line between Dallas and Houston. That route, originally planned and developed by Texas Central Railway, is now being led by Amtrak with federal rail funding available from the Infrastructure bill passed by Congress.
The need for developing passenger rail along the I-35 corridor goes back several decades, with a 2011 TxDOT I-35 Corridor Advisory Committee survey showing that a majority of Texans want to see intercity train service. That survey of over 2,000 citizens showed that a majority of Texans were not opposed to using state funds to accomplish a rail corridor.
If passed by the Texas legislature and signed by Governor Abbott, this bill would take effect as of September 1, 2025. It would modify SECTION 1, Chapter 91 of the Transportation Code by amending and adding Subchapter G.
This bill may catch the attention of Brightline, the privately owned intercity passenger rail service that now operates between Miami and Orlanda International Airport and is building an intercity line between Las Vegas and the Los Angeles area. Brightline representatives have expressed interest in Texas in the past. (from Texas Rail Advocates)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 542 Bucy, John (D)
Relating to the use of certain money transferred to and deposited in the state highway fund as required by the Texas Constitution.
Companions: HB 5215 Bucy, John(Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 663 Harrison, Brian (R)
Relating to limitations on the applicability of certain statutes to high-speed rail.
Companions: HB 2931Harrison, Brian(Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 689 Gervin-Hawkins, Barbara (D)
Relating to increasing the criminal penalty for certain offenses committed in a vehicle operated by a public transportation system.
Companions: HB 485 Gervin-Hawkins, Barbara (Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 755 Spiller, David (R)
Relating to certain requirements applicable to certain public entities that engage in lobbying.
Companions: HB 170 Spiller, David (Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 948 Harrison, Brian (R)
Relating to the required posting by governmental entities of employee contracts and compensation on entity Internet websites.
Companions: HB 3017 Harrison, Brian (Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 1109 VanDeaver, Gary (R)
Relating to an exemption from certain motor fuel taxes for counties in this state.
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HB 1402 Harris, Cody (R)
Relating to a prohibition on the use of public money to pay for the alteration of a roadway related to high-speed rail construction.
Bill History: 11-19-24 H Filed
HJR 58 Bucy, John (D)
Proposing a constitutional amendment authorizing the use of money in the state highway fund for transit-oriented projects.
Companions: HJR 204 Bucy, John (Refiled from 88R Session)
General Remarks: This would be a constitutional amendment that would authorize the use of money in the state highway fund for transit-oriented projects. This would be the first time the public would have a say on how transportation funding is distributed other than for highway projects.
This resolution would take the onus off of the legislature in determining the public's temperature for connecting Texas cities, primarily in the "triangle" by passenger rail. A majority of Texans surveyed in a decade-old TxDOT report showed a high-demand for intercity passenger rail service. (from Texas Rail Advocates)
Should this resolution pass the legislature, it would appear on November 4, 2025, ballots.
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
HJR 63 Walle, Armando (D)
Proposing a constitutional amendment to permit additional uses of certain dedicated general revenue transferred each fiscal year to the state highway fund.
Companions: HJR 77 Walle, Armando (Refiled from 88R Session); SJR 37 Miles, Borris (Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-12-24 H Filed
SB 159 Menendez, Jose (D)
Relating to an education and training program for certain public transportation vehicle operators on interacting with and supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Bill History: 11-12-24 S Filed
SB 424 Eckhardt, Sarah (D)
Relating to the use of state money for high-speed rail operated by a private entity and to the construction of certain high-speed rail.
Companions: HB 483 Meza, Terry(Refiled from 88R Session)
Bill History: 11-21-24 S Filed
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