| 1 | | - | By: Nichols, et al. S.B. No. 1555 |
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| 1 | + | By: Nichols, Alvarado, Johnson S.B. No. 1555 |
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| 2 | + | (In the Senate - Filed February 21, 2025; March 6, 2025, |
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| 3 | + | read first time and referred to Committee on Transportation; |
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| 4 | + | March 17, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable Committee |
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| 5 | + | Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 17, 2025, |
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| 6 | + | sent to printer.) |
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| 7 | + | Click here to see the committee vote |
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| 8 | + | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1555 By: Nichols |
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| 4 | 9 | | |
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| 5 | 10 | | |
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| 6 | 11 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 7 | 12 | | AN ACT |
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| 8 | 13 | | relating to a grant program to fund certain railroad grade |
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| 9 | 14 | | separation projects. |
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| 10 | 15 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 16 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 471, Transportation Code, is amended by |
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| 12 | 17 | | adding Section 471.010 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 18 | | Sec. 471.010. GRANT PROGRAM FOR CERTAIN RAILROAD GRADE |
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| 14 | 19 | | SEPARATION PROJECTS. (a) For the purpose of increasing public |
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| 15 | 20 | | safety, enhancing economic development, and reducing traffic, the |
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| 16 | 21 | | department shall establish and administer a program to award grants |
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| 17 | 22 | | to political subdivisions of this state to fund: |
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| 18 | 23 | | (1) rail-roadway grade separation projects that are |
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| 19 | 24 | | located at intersections of railroads and public roadways that are |
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| 20 | 25 | | not part of the state highway system; and |
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| 21 | 26 | | (2) rail-pedestrian grade separation projects that |
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| 22 | 27 | | are located at intersections of railroads and public pedestrian |
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| 23 | 28 | | crossings. |
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| 24 | 29 | | (b) Each grant awarded under this section must be approved |
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| 25 | 30 | | by the commission. The commission may not approve a grant under |
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| 26 | 31 | | this section unless the commission determines that at least 10 |
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| 27 | 32 | | percent of the total project costs will be provided by a source |
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| 28 | 33 | | other than the state. |
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| 29 | 34 | | (c) The department may fund the grant program under this |
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| 30 | 35 | | section only from money appropriated by the legislature for that |
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| 31 | 36 | | purpose and from gifts and grants, including grants from the |
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| 32 | 37 | | federal government. The department may solicit and accept gifts |
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| 33 | 38 | | and grants from any source for the purposes of this section. Money |
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| 34 | 39 | | deposited to the credit of the state highway fund may not be used to |
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| 35 | 40 | | fund a grant awarded under this section. |
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| 36 | 41 | | (d) A political subdivision that receives a grant under this |
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| 37 | 42 | | section shall designate the department to manage contracting for, |
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| 38 | 43 | | in accordance with Subchapter A, Chapter 223, and supervision of |
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| 39 | 44 | | the planning and construction of a project for which the grant was |
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| 40 | 45 | | awarded. A political subdivision shall enter into an agreement |
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| 41 | 46 | | with the department prescribing the terms of a designation under |
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| 42 | 47 | | this subsection in accordance with applicable state or federal law. |
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| 43 | 48 | | The department, acting as the designee of a political subdivision |
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| 44 | 49 | | under this section, shall make each contract in accordance with the |
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| 45 | 50 | | law governing the making of contracts by or on behalf of the state. |
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| 46 | 51 | | (e) The commission shall adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 47 | 52 | | implement this section. |
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| 48 | 53 | | SECTION 2. Not later than October 1, 2025, the Texas |
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| 49 | 54 | | Transportation Commission shall adopt the rules required by Section |
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| 50 | 55 | | 471.010, Transportation Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 51 | 56 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 52 | 57 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 53 | 58 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 54 | 59 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 55 | 60 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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