18 Bills = 9 Bills + Companions. High Speed De-Railment.

Which members joined forces to file bills to impede high speed rail?

• Senators Birdwell, Creighton,  Kolkhorst, Perry, & Schwertner
• Representatives Ashby, Bell, Cook, Schubert, and Wray 

The hot issues in the press release announcement:

• big bad evil #1 : foreign investments (remember Trans Texas Corridor & Cintra, anyone?)
• big bad evil #2: it will hurt family farms and private property rights
• big bad evil #3: this is going to be expensive, more expensive than they are saying
• big bad evil #4: security concerns raised by a 9/11 survivor 

Which bills are in this package. Its 9 bills + companions?

• SB 973 by Creighton/HB 2168 by Bell (Railroad Determination Before Surveys) – prohibits a high-speed rail entity from entering private property to conduct a survey unless the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) first determines that the surveying entity is, in fact, a railroad.

• SB 974 by Creighton/HB 2181 by Cook (Option Contract Protection) – voids any high-speed rail option contracts held by a high-speed rail entity upon a bankruptcy initiated by or against the entity. 

• SB 975 by Birdwell/HB 2169 by Schubert (Security Requirements) – provides a framework of minimum security requirements to be followed during the construction and operation of a private high-speed rail line. Requires the high-speed rail authority to coordinate security efforts with state and local law enforcement, as well as disaster response agencies.

• SB 977 by Schwertner/HB 2172 by Ashby (No Taxpayer Bailout) – prohibits the legislature from appropriating new funds, or allowing state agencies to utilize existing funds, to pay any costs related to a the construction, maintenance, or operation of a private high-speed rail in Texas.

• SB 978 by Schwertner/HB 2104 Bell (Property Restoration Bond) – requires a private high-speed rail entity to file a bond with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) sufficient to restore property used for the rail service to the property’s original conditions if the service ceases operation.

• SB 979 by Schwertner/HB 2179 by Cook (Right of Repurchase for Non-HSR Use) – prohibits an entity that operates or plans to operate a high-speed rail from using property acquired for purposes other than high-speed rail. If the high-speed rail authority doesn’t use the property for that specific purpose, the original landowner must be given opportunity to repurchase the land.

• SB 980 by Schwertner/HB 2167 by Schubert (Put Texas First) – prohibits any state money from being used for any purpose related to a privately owned high-speed rail, unless the state acquires and maintains a lien in order to secure the repayment of state funds. Requires that the state’s lien be superior to all other liens, effectively making Texas a priority creditor.

• SB 981 by Kolkhorst/HB 2162 by Wray (Interoperability) – requires an entity constructing a high-speed rail line in Texas to demonstrate compatibility with more than one type of train technology. 

• SB 982 by Perry/HB 2173 by Ashby (High-Speed Rail Feasibility Study) – upon request of a legislator, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) must generate a feasibility study of a proposed high-speed rail project. The study must indicate whether the project is for a public use, whether it will be financially viable, and what impact of the project will have on local communities.

Press Release | Lawmakers Take Action to Derail Bullet Train between Dallas and Houston

Houston Chronicle | Texas lawmakers move to stymie high-speed rail project
 

KHOU | Texas lawmakers lobby to derail proposed high-speed train

Ft. Worth Star Telegram | Bill package shapes fight on high-speed rail