Bill Text: TX HCR49 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Designating July as Train Safety Awareness Month for a 10-year period beginning in 2017.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Passed) 2017-06-15 - Signed by the Governor [HCR49 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HCR49-Enrolled.html
H.C.R. No. 49 |
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WHEREAS, Train safety is a vital issue that affects all | ||
Texans, and promoting awareness of correct safety procedures around | ||
railroads can potentially save many lives; and | ||
WHEREAS, The Texas Department of Insurance reports that a | ||
train hits someone in the United States every 115 minutes, often | ||
with fatal results, and the nonprofit Operation Lifesaver | ||
calculates that an average of nearly 1,200 Americans are killed or | ||
injured each year on highway-rail grade crossings; according to the | ||
Federal Railroad Administration, in 2015, Texas led the nation in | ||
highway-rail grade collisions with 224 such incidents and suffered | ||
42 pedestrian rail trespass injuries and 27 pedestrian rail | ||
trespass fatalities, the second most of any state; and | ||
WHEREAS, An average train consisting of 100 cars can weigh 12 | ||
million pounds and can take up to one mile to halt after first | ||
applying its brakes; because the average weight ratio of a train to | ||
a car is 4,000 to 1, collisions between the two usually result in | ||
tragedy for motor vehicle drivers, and a motorist is 20 times more | ||
likely to die in a train/vehicle collision than in a collision with | ||
another vehicle; and | ||
WHEREAS, It is important to always use caution near railroad | ||
crossings, including slowing down, looking both ways, yielding to | ||
flashing lights and other signals, and keeping a safe distance from | ||
the railroad when stopped; train safety is equally important for | ||
pedestrians, and the only safe and legal place to cross railroad | ||
tracks is at a designated pedestrian or roadway crossing; and | ||
WHEREAS, It is imperative that motorists and pedestrians | ||
throughout the Lone Star State better understand the dangers that | ||
exist around railroads and the necessity of following proper train | ||
safety practices; now, therefore, be it | ||
RESOLVED, That the 85th Legislature of the State of Texas | ||
hereby designate July as Train Safety Awareness Month; and, be it | ||
further | ||
RESOLVED, That in accordance with the provisions of Section | ||
391.004(d), Government Code, this designation remain in effect | ||
until the 10th anniversary of the date this resolution is finally | ||
passed by the legislature. | ||
Anderson of McLennan | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.C.R. No. 49 was adopted by the House on May | ||
9, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 139, Nays 6, 2 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.C.R. No. 49 was adopted by the Senate on May | ||
24, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: __________________ | ||
Date | ||
__________________ | ||
Governor |