HCSHB396--VISUALOBSTRUCTIONSATRAILROADCROSSINGS
SPONSOR: Peters
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonCorrectionsandPublicInstitutionsbyavoteof11to
0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
396.
Thisbillspecifiesthateverycorporationorpersonowningor
operatingarailroadinthisStatemustmaintainaminimumdistance
ofatleast500feetfromthenearedgerailroadcrossingstothe
railroadrollingstockstoredonthesidings,unlessacrossinghas
gatesorbarriersandlightstoprotectcars,inwhichcase,the
minimumdistanceis250feet.TheDepartmentofTransportation can
determinealesserorgreaterdistanceisnecessaryataparticular
location. Ifphysicalconditionsrequiretheuseoftrack
temporarilyorminimumdistancescannotbeobtained,the
requirementsdonotapplytocertainrailcars.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthedifferencebetween250and500
feetisenoughtoallowdriverstoseeandreacttoapproaching
trains.Driversarenotalwaysprotectedbytrainwhistles,as
somethingassimpleasawindowdefrostercandrownoutthenoise.
Therehavebeenmultipletragicincidentsofindividualsbeing
injuredorkilledinpreventablerailroadcrossingaccidents. The
peopleinvolvedintheseaccidentsdidnothingwrong,andsimply
lackedsufficientvisualwarningtoprotectthemselves.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Peters;
AmandaSmith;GeneDeluca;CourtneyCale;ArnieDienoff;andAlicia
Chick.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythattheexemptions
withinthebillareinsufficienttoallowrailroadcompaniesto
operateeffectively. Thiswouldhaveaheavyfinancialimpactand
couldleadtoblockedrailroadcrossingswherethedistancebetween
twonearbycrossingsisinsufficienttomaintaina500footminimum
distanceoneithersideofanalreadymile-longorlongertrain.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereAssociatedIndustriesof
Missouri;andJeffDavis,BNSFRailwayCompany. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.