Political Battles Over High-Speed Rail

The 2017 Texas Legislative Session is experiencing plenty of clashes, one of which has to do with the implementation of high-speed rail. Proponents and opponents of the concept have been arguing over a route that would connect Dallas with Houston. At a recent Senate Transportation Hearing, groups testified over many bills including:

SB 975 – providing security requirements throughout construction on a high-speed rail line.
SB 977 – prohibits appropriation of new or existing state funds to pay for private high-speed rail in Texas.
SB 979 – prohibits use of eminent domain for high-speed rail development.
SB 980 – prohibits state funds, credits or guarantees from being used for anything related to privately owned, high-speed rail, unless the state can secure repayment of the funds.

These and other bills are a selection of many filed to impose regulations on high-speed rail projects. Many of the bills were filed by rural lawmakers.

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