Bill Text: TX SB1555 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to a grant program to fund certain railroad grade separation projects.
Sponsorship: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 12-5)
Status: (Passed) 2025-05-24 - Effective immediately [SB1555 Detail]
Download: Texas-2025-SB1555-Enrolled.html
| S.B. No. 1555 | ||
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| relating to a grant program to fund certain railroad grade | ||
| separation projects. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Chapter 471, Transportation Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Section 471.010 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 471.010. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN RAILROAD GRADE | ||
| SEPARATION PROJECTS. (a) For the purpose of increasing public | ||
| safety, enhancing economic development, and reducing traffic, the | ||
| department shall establish and administer a program to award grants | ||
| to political subdivisions of this state to fund: | ||
| (1) rail-roadway grade separation projects that are | ||
| located at intersections of railroads and public roadways that are | ||
| not part of the state highway system; and | ||
| (2) rail-pedestrian grade separation projects that | ||
| are located at intersections of railroads and public pedestrian | ||
| crossings. | ||
| (b) Each grant awarded under this section must be approved | ||
| by the commission. The commission may not approve a grant under | ||
| this section unless the commission determines that at least 10 | ||
| percent of the total project costs will be provided by a source | ||
| other than the state. | ||
| (c) The department may fund the grant program under this | ||
| section only from money appropriated by the legislature for that | ||
| purpose and from gifts and grants, including grants from the | ||
| federal government. The department may solicit and accept gifts | ||
| and grants from any source for the purposes of this section. Money | ||
| deposited to the credit of the state highway fund may not be used to | ||
| fund a grant awarded under this section. | ||
| (d) A political subdivision that receives a grant under this | ||
| section shall designate the department to manage contracting for, | ||
| in accordance with Subchapter A, Chapter 223, and supervision of | ||
| the planning and construction of a project for which the grant was | ||
| awarded. A political subdivision shall enter into an agreement | ||
| with the department prescribing the terms of a designation under | ||
| this subsection in accordance with applicable state or federal law. | ||
| The department, acting as the designee of a political subdivision | ||
| under this section, shall make each contract in accordance with the | ||
| law governing the making of contracts by or on behalf of the state. | ||
| (e) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to | ||
| implement this section. | ||
| SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2025, the Texas | ||
| Transportation Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section | ||
| 471.010, Transportation Code, as added by this Act. | ||
| SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives | ||
| a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as | ||
| provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this | ||
| Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this | ||
| Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1555 passed the Senate on | ||
| March 25, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1555 passed the House on | ||
| May 10, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 101, Nays 17, two | ||
| present not voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| Approved: | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
