| 6 | 4 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 5 | | relating to the use of state money for high-speed rail operated by a |
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| 8 | 6 | | private entity. |
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| 9 | 7 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 8 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 199, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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| 11 | 9 | | adding Section 199.003 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 10 | | Sec. 199.003. USE OF STATE MONEY FOR HIGH-SPEED RAIL. |
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| 13 | 11 | | (a) For the purposes of this section, "high-speed rail" means |
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| 14 | 12 | | intercity passenger rail service that is reasonably expected to |
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| 15 | 13 | | reach speeds of at least 110 miles per hour. |
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| 16 | 14 | | (b) Except as required by federal law or other state law, |
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| 17 | 15 | | including the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (42 U.S.C. |
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| 18 | 16 | | Section 4321 et seq.): |
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| 19 | 17 | | (1) the legislature may not appropriate money to pay |
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| 20 | 18 | | for a cost of planning, facility construction or maintenance, or |
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| 21 | 19 | | security for, promotion of, or operation of, high-speed rail |
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| 22 | 20 | | operated by a private entity; and |
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| 23 | 21 | | (2) a state agency may not accept or use state money to |
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| 24 | 22 | | pay for a cost described by Subdivision (1). |
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| 25 | 23 | | (c) A state agency shall prepare a semiannual report of each |
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| 26 | 24 | | expense described by this section and submit a copy of each report |
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| 27 | 25 | | to: |
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| 28 | 26 | | (1) the commission; |
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| 29 | 27 | | (2) the comptroller; |
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| 30 | 28 | | (3) the committee in each house of the legislature |
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| 31 | 29 | | with primary jurisdiction over transportation; |
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| 32 | 30 | | (4) the speaker of the house of representatives; |
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| 33 | 31 | | (5) the lieutenant governor; and |
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| 34 | 32 | | (6) the governor. |
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| 35 | 33 | | (d) This section is not intended to preclude or limit the |
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| 36 | 34 | | execution of the department's responsibilities under federal law or |
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| 37 | 35 | | other state law, including: |
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| 38 | 36 | | (1) regulatory responsibilities; |
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| 39 | 37 | | (2) oversight of transportation projects; |
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| 40 | 38 | | (3) environmental review; |
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| 41 | 39 | | (4) policy development; |
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| 42 | 40 | | (5) communication with public officials; or |
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| 43 | 41 | | (6) coordinating with a private entity that operates |
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| 44 | 42 | | or proposes to operate high-speed rail in the same manner that the |
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| 45 | 43 | | department coordinates with other entities that operate |
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| 46 | 44 | | transportation projects. |
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| 47 | 45 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |
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| 46 | + | ______________________________ ______________________________ |
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| 47 | + | President of the Senate Speaker of the House |
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| 48 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 977 passed the Senate on |
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| 49 | + | April 18, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 26, Nays 5. |
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| 50 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 51 | + | Secretary of the Senate |
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| 52 | + | I hereby certify that S.B. No. 977 passed the House on |
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| 53 | + | May 21, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 130, Nays 11, one |
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| 54 | + | present not voting. |
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| 55 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 56 | + | Chief Clerk of the House |
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| 57 | + | Approved: |
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| 58 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 59 | + | Date |
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| 60 | + | ______________________________ |
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| 61 | + | Governor |
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