| 1 | 1 | | 86R6000 JRR-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Toth H.B. No. 2605 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to restrictions on certain state agency actions relating |
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| 8 | 8 | | to high-speed rail projects. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 112, Transportation Code, |
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| 11 | 11 | | is amended by adding Section 112.004 to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | Sec. 112.004. RESTRICTIONS ON CERTAIN STATE AGENCY ACTIONS |
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| 13 | 13 | | RELATING TO HIGH-SPEED RAIL PROJECTS. (a) In this section: |
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| 14 | 14 | | (1) "High-speed rail" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 15 | 15 | | Section 112.201. |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) "State agency" means a board, commission, council, |
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| 17 | 17 | | committee, department, office, agency, or other governmental |
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| 18 | 18 | | entity in the executive branch of state government. The term does |
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| 19 | 19 | | not include an institution of higher education as defined by |
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| 20 | 20 | | Section 61.003, Education Code. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) Unless a state agency determines that a private entity |
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| 22 | 22 | | has obtained all necessary federal approvals and permits for the |
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| 23 | 23 | | construction of a high-speed rail project, the state agency may |
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| 24 | 24 | | not: |
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| 25 | 25 | | (1) issue any permit required for the project; or |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) negotiate or enter into an agreement with the |
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| 27 | 27 | | private entity for right-of-way access for the project. |
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| 28 | 28 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 29 | 29 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 30 | 30 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 31 | 31 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 32 | 32 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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