BILL ANALYSIS |
C.S.H.B. 457 |
By: McClendon |
Transportation |
Committee Report (Substituted) |
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Interested parties contend that, although the Texas rail relocation and improvement fund was approved by voters and intended to provide a dedicated method of financing the relocation and improvement of rail facilities, there has been no revenue deposited in the fund to date. The parties note that, while utilization of rail will not replace motor vehicle traffic, the use of rail for freight transportation plays a key part in interstate and intrastate commerce. Additionally, the use of passenger rail offers the opportunity for relief from traffic on congested roadways. These parties further contend that rail transportation not only remains reliable but could also become an increasingly important economic driver for the state in the future. C.S.H.B. 457 seeks to address this issue by providing for funding for the rail relocation and improvement fund.
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CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
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RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
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ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 457 amends the Health and Safety Code and the Transportation Code to make a rail project, including a rail relocation and improvement project, that meets the criteria of a program established under the Texas emissions reduction plan eligible to receive a grant or other funding from the Texas emissions reduction plan fund, including a grant or other funding out of money deposited to the fund under Transportation Code provisions requiring the allocation of a certain amount of non-dedicated state highway fund money to the Texas emissions reduction plan fund.
C.S.H.B. 457 amends the Health and Safety Code to postpone the expiration date of statutory provisions governing the Texas emissions reduction plan from August 31, 2019, to August 31, 2023, and amends the Transportation Code to postpone the expiration date of provisions relating to the deposit of certain amounts in that fund, including provisions relating to the eligibility of a rail project to receive grants from the fund as added by the bill, from August 31, 2019, to August 31, 2023.
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EFFECTIVE DATE
On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2015.
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COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 457 may differ from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following comparison is organized and formatted in a manner that indicates the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
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