Bill Text: TX SB982 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to a report by the Texas Department of Transportation and the Legislative Budget Board on high-speed rail projects.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-06 - Referred to Transportation [SB982 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-SB982-Introduced.html
| 85R9464 JXC-D | ||
| By: Perry | S.B. No. 982 | |
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| relating to a report by the Texas Department of Transportation and | ||
| the Legislative Budget Board on high-speed rail projects. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 111, Transportation Code, | ||
| is amended by adding Section 111.005 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 111.005. REPORT ON HIGH-SPEED RAIL BY DEPARTMENT AND | ||
| LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD. (a) In this section, "high-speed rail" | ||
| means intercity passenger rail service that is reasonably expected | ||
| to reach speeds of at least 110 miles per hour. | ||
| (b) A state senator or representative may submit a request | ||
| to the department for a report on a proposed high-speed rail | ||
| project. | ||
| (c) If the department receives a request under Subsection | ||
| (b), the department shall prepare a report on the proposed | ||
| high-speed rail project that includes: | ||
| (1) an assessment of whether the project serves a | ||
| public use, as described by Section 17, Article I, Texas | ||
| Constitution; | ||
| (2) an assessment of whether projected ridership | ||
| numbers are sufficient to provide the project with revenue that | ||
| will cover the maintenance and operation costs of the project; | ||
| (3) any projected changes to costs of local and state | ||
| transportation projects that could result from the project; | ||
| (4) any projected costs to communities near the | ||
| project that could result from the project; and | ||
| (5) any projected decreases in land value near the | ||
| project that could result from the project. | ||
| (d) The department shall collaborate with the Legislative | ||
| Budget Board on the financial issues in the report. | ||
| (e) Not later than the 45th day after the date the | ||
| department receives a request for a report, the department shall | ||
| hold at least one public hearing to receive public input on the | ||
| issues described by Subsection (c). | ||
| (f) After the department holds a public hearing, and not | ||
| later than the 90th day after the date the department receives a | ||
| request for a report, the department shall submit a preliminary | ||
| report to the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker of | ||
| the house of representatives. | ||
| (g) Not earlier than the 30th day and not later than the 60th | ||
| day after the date the department submits the preliminary report, | ||
| the department shall publish a final report on the department's | ||
| Internet website. | ||
| (h) The department is not required to prepare more than one | ||
| report under this section for a particular high-speed rail project | ||
| per year. | ||
| (i) A party to a suit in which a private entity alleges that | ||
| the entity may use the power of eminent domain for a high-speed rail | ||
| project, regardless of whether the alleged power is statutorily | ||
| authorized, may submit a report described by this section on the | ||
| project as evidence of whether the project serves a public use, as | ||
| described by Section 17, Article I, Texas Constitution. | ||
| SECTION 2. 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, 2017. | ||
