Legislative Affairs
Both the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress address many important transportation issues that affect the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Transportation and air quality in the North Central Texas region are impacted by legislative decisions at the State and federal levels.
NCTCOG staff regularly update policy and technical committee members, transportation partners and others interested in monitoring legislative initiatives related to the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) legislative priorities.
In order to understand current legislative initiatives, the RTC directed the development of a Transportation Funding 101 primer so legislators and the general public can better understand funding sources for transportation as well as trends that impact the amount of funding available. A shortfall of funding has been identified and the primer also addresses potential solutions to increase funding options.
Legislative Update
November 17, 2025
FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history (43 days) finally came to an end. On Sunday, November 9, the Senate came to an agreement, with eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus voting to advance the House-passed stopgap funding package. The House reconvened on Wednesday, November 12, and swiftly voted 222-209 to get the measure over the finish line. President Donald Trump then signed the measure into law later in the evening, setting up federal operations to resume Thursday morning. The continuing resolution will fund the federal government through January 30.
FROM AUSTIN
This election cycle, voters approved new investments in state infrastructure and research, as all 17 constitutional amendments on the ballot were adopted. Proposition 4, which would allocate up to $1 billion of sales tax revenue into the Texas Water Fund each year starting in 2027 through 2047, was approved with 70% of voters in favor. This amendment will be used to fix infrastructure, develop new water sources and support conservation efforts to help meet the state’s increasing water demands.
This year's ballot also included the vacant District 9 Senate seat of Acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock. District 9 includes part of Fort Worth and Northwest Tarrant County. Democrat Taylor Rehmet and Republican Leigh Wambsganss finished with the two highest vote totals in the election, running well ahead of a third candidate, former Republican Southlake Mayor John Huffman. Because no candidate secured a majority, a January runoff election will determine whether Rehmet or Wambganss will serve the remainder of Hancock's term through the end of 2026.
October Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) Hearing
The Texas Transportation Commission met on October 30. Routine information was presented for their approval, including highway letting contracts, rejection of building maintenance bids, State Infrastructure Bank loans, Federal and State aviation awards, and rule adoptions.
November Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) Hearing
The Texas Transportation Commission met on November 13. Routine information was presented for their approval, including highway letting contracts and routine maintenance, Federal and State aviation awards, and routine minute order and reports. Additionally, federal financing for projects submitted in the 2025 Transportation Alternatives (TA) Set-Aside call for projects was approved. Four TA projects in Dallas District and three in Fort Worth District were approved.
MONITORED BILLS LIST
If you need information on the bills being tracked, please contact Jackie Nolasco at jnolasco@nctcog.org.
HIGHLIGHTED BILLS (US Congress)
Highway Funding Transferability Improvement Act (H.R. 4926/S. 1733): Would raise the cap on transfers among core Federal-aid highway programs from 50% to 75%. Though the legislative change is just one line, it carries substantial implications for how federal highway dollars are managed, distributed, and monitored nationwide.
- Both the House and Senate versions of the bill propose a single amendment to 23 U.S.C. §126(a), increasing the percentage of Federal-aid highway funds that states may transfer between core formula programs from 50% to 75%.
- Supporters argue this change would enhance state flexibility and reduce administrative burdens, while critics warn it could undermine the intent of federal programs, lessen transparency, and weaken accountability. They note that the existing 50% cap already provides substantial flexibility while preserving safeguards to ensure federal funds advance national performance goals.
- H.R. 4926 was filed and referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. S. 1733 was referred to the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. No additional action has been taken.
Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act: Adds a “project selection transparency and accountability” requirement for MPO TIPs/MTPs and state STIPs.
- The Metropolitan Planning Enhancement Act (H.R. 5711) proposes targeted amendments to Titles 23 and 49 U.S.C. governing federal surface transportation planning. The legislation aims to ensure that federal surface transportation investments are clearly tied to performance outcomes, providing the public with a clearer understanding of why certain projects are prioritized over others. If enacted, it could significantly impact how MPOs, state DOTs, and transit agencies document, evaluate, and justify investment decisions.
- While many MPOs already practice transparent, data-driven planning, through conducting performance-based planning under MAP-21 and the FAST Act, H.R. 5711 would formalize those expectations nationally, making transparency a legal standard rather than a best practice. The bill reinforces national performance goals under §150(b) but does not create new funding incentives or penalties. It is essentially a process transparency requirement, not a new formula or grant condition.
- The bill was filed and referred to the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. No additional action has been taken.
UPCOMING COMMITTEE HEARINGS
US SENATE
- The Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation’s Subcommittee on Aviation, Space, and Innovation will convene a hearing titled: “Flying on Empty: How Shutdowns Threaten Air Safety, Travel, and the Economy” on Wednesday, November 19 at 2:30pm EST. This hearing will examine the toll the government shutdown took on the air traffic control system, airline operations, and training.
RECENT COMMITTEE HEARINGS
TEXAS HOUSE
- The House State Affairs Committee met on November 3, and received testimony from Bryant Clayton, Director of the Texas Broadband Development Office (BDO), regarding the implementation of the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program and related state broadband initiatives. Clayton expressed concern over the lack of fiber presence in rural and flood-prone regions, the role of pole attachment fees in making broadband deployment cost-prohibitive and urged for legislative action for future broadband deployment and emergency-reliability goals.
US SENATE
- The Senate Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee met on October 21 to discuss passage of the ROTOR Act. The ROTOR Act was introduced following a deadly midair collision near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport that claimed 67 lives. The bill closes loopholes allowing military aircraft to operate without ADS-B Out technology and has been adopted and reported favorably out of committee to the Senate.
Texas Legislature - 89th Session January 14, 2025 - June 2, 2025
- Regional Transportation Council Legislative Program for the 89th Texas Legislature 
- 89th Texas Legislature Summary of Bills (2025)
- 89th Texas Legislature Final Actions Presentation - Transportation
Texas Legislature - 88th Session January 10, 2023 - May 29, 2023
- Regional Transportation Council Legislative Program for the 88th Texas Legislature
- 88th Texas Legislature Summary of Bills (2023)
Other Resources
Congressional Updates important to our region
In 2005 Congress passed the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) . This legislation guided surface transportation policy and funding through 2009. Nine short-term extensions passed since SAFETEA-LU expired in 2009. The final short-term extension of SAFETEA-LU extended surface transportation authorization through June 30, 2012.
On July 6, 2012, President Obama signed into law a two-year $105 billion surface transportation authorization, titled Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century (MAP-21). MAP-21 reauthorized the federal-aid highway, highway safety and transit programs that were last authorized by SAFETEA-LU. New programs and funding levels began on October 1, 2012, and continued through September 30, 2014. The final short-term extension of MAP-21 expired on December 4, 2015.
On December 4, 2015, President Obama signed the Fixing America's Surface Transportation (FAST) Act into law, which authorizes Federal highway, transit, safety and rail programs for five years at $305 billion. The FAST Act is effective October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2020.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law by President Biden on November 15, 2021, is a five-year bill that authorizes $567.5 billion for surface transportation, including roads and bridges, and an additional $550 billion for water, broadband, cybersecurity, and energy infrastructure. With a total funding amount of $1.2 trillion, the act aims to modernize infrastructure across the nation and is set to expire on September 30, 2026.
2025 RTC Principles for Federal Surface Transportation Authorization