Legislative Update: February 15, 2019
FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
The government shutdown was officially averted this week with a FY19 Appropriations bill that funds the government through October 1. Yesterday, both chambers of Congress passed a $325 billion appropriations measure and President Trump signed the bill into law today. Funding levels stay about the same as previous levels for transportation, other than an increase for the Department of Homeland Security for the TSA and the Coast Guard operational budget. The bill will prevent any other government shutdowns throughout the rest of the fiscal year. In addition to the appropriations bill, Trump also signed a proclamation declaring a national emergency at the border and invoked his authority to fund and begin building a border wall with funds that have been appropriated for military construction.
FROM AUSTIN
It was a quiet week at the Capitol. Most of the activity surrounded the Property Tax Relief and Reform Act (SB 1 & HB 1) spearheaded by Senator Paul Bettencourt. A substitute version of that bill, 2.5% rollback rate included, was voted out of the Property Tax committee with amendments. This bill is one of Governor Abbott’s emergency items and is being fast tracked. The next meeting of the full Senate is set for Tuesday (2/19/19) and SB 2 could be heard as soon as Thursday.
MONITORED BILLS LIST
The Texas Legislature bill list shows all bills being tracked for the 86th legislative session. The US Congress bill list shows only bills with action since the last legislative update. If you need information on all the bills being tracked, please contact Rebekah Hernandez.
A table of bills related to the RTC Legislative Program can be found
here.
HIGHLIGHTED BILLS - TEXAS LEGISLATURE
SUNSET COMMISSION: DEPARTMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLES
HB 1541 (Paddie-R) / SB 604 (Buckingham-R) Relating to the continuation and functions of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and to the operations of certain other entities performing functions associated with the department.
HIGH-SPEED RAIL
HB 1611 (Ashby-R) Relating to regulation in the unincorporated area of a county of high-speed rail activity near schools.
- This bill would give counties more power over high-speed rail entities by regulating activities within five miles of any school.
SB 775 (Creighton-R) / HB 1369 (Harris-R) Relating to the purchase of necessary real property for the construction of a high-speed rail project.
- If added to code, this bill would make it so a private entity may not begin construction of a high-speed rail project unless the department has determined that the entity has acquired all real property necessary for the construction of the project.
CDAs
HB 1643 (Martinez-D) Relating to Texas Department of Transportation and regional mobility authority comprehensive development agreements for projects in Cameron and Hidalgo Counties.
- This bill amends transportation code to allow for comprehensive development agreement projects in South Texas.
HB 1644 (Martinez-D) Relating to Texas Department of Transportation and regional mobility authority comprehensive development agreements.
- This bill names specific projects statewide, including three CDA agrements in the DFW area. Bill language is simliar to language filed in the 85th session by Representative Phillips.
HB 1646 (Martinez-D) Relating to Texas Department of Transportation and regional mobility authority comprehensive development agreements.
- The bill allows TXDOT to enter into a CDA agreement for a project which had CDA authority as of 2013.
RECENT COMMITTEE HEARINGS
US CONGRESS
- The US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation met on February 13 to discuss opportunities for infrastructure improvements, including federal funding, financing programs, and permitting and regulatory streamlining. Chairman Roger Wicker (R-MS) said there was bipartisan agreement about the need to pass a new infrastructure bill, especially to prepare and support technological advancements. Witnesses represented ports, railroads, trucking, trade unions, and the cable industry, and all supported a gas tax increase. Senators focused their questions on funding, expressing support for indexing the gas tax, as well as interest in a vehicle-miles traveled (VMT) or another user-based fee. Sen. Cory Gardiner (R-CO) said vehicle registration was the primary hurdle for VMT but advised that the new bill must address how to tax electric and alternative-fuel vehicles. Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) was concerned that the gas tax is regressive, and an increase could negatively affect low-income and rural people. However, industry representatives unanimously said potential economic growth and reduced congestion would benefit all Americans. Sen. Lee also wondered why, contrary to its original purpose, the Highway Trust Fund is being used to fund projects not on the Interstate Highway System, including bicycle-pedestrian facilities. Finally, many senators expressed alarm about the safety of deteriorating streets and bridges and said a new bill must provide significant fund for repairs.
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
- House Environmental Regulation met on Tuesday (2/12/19) to hear invited testimony. TCEQ Director Toby Baker gave an overview of agency operations. He asked for more money to help expedite the permitting process, asked the members of the committee to vote to remove the contingency budget cap, and a supplemental appropriation of $150,000,000. Tonya Baer, Deptuy Director of the Air Division, testified as well. Brent Wade, Deputy Director of the Office of Waste Management, and Ramiro Garcia, TCEQ Deputy Director of Compliance, also testified.
- House Transportation met Wednesday (2/13/19) for an organizational meeting. James Bass, Mark Williams, and Brian Raglan, TxDOT Leadership, testified as resource witnesses on a variety of issues. Whitney Brewster, Executive Director Department Texas Department of Motor Vehicles, also testified as a resource witness. She used most of her time to talk about her agency’s sunset process. A DMV sunset bill has been filed. Skyler Hearn, Deputy Director Texas Department of Public Safety and Ron Joy, Texas Highway Patrol Chief Texas Department of Public Safety, rounded out the field on the invited resource witness list.
UPCOMING COMMITTEE HEARINGS
US CONGRESS
- There are no committee hearings of note scheduled next week.
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
House Committees
- County Affairs - Organizational meeting with a special briefing regarding Texas demographic and political trends by Steve Murdock, Ph.D., founding Director of the Hobby Center for the Study of Texas, former Director of the U.S. Census Bureau and former state demographer, Richard Murray, Ph.D., Director of the Survey Research Institute at the University of Houston Center for Public Policy, and James Henson, Ph.D., director of the Texas Politics Project.
- 2/19/2019 at 1:00 P.M. in JHR 120
- Defense & Veterans' Affairs - The committee will meet to hear invited testimony on issues related to veterans and the Texas Military Department.
- 2/19/2019 at 2:00 P.M. in E1.026
- Natural Resources - The committee will meet to hear invited testimony on issues related to subsidence, desalination, and river authorities
- 2/19/2019 at 11:00 A.M. in E2.010
Senate Committees
- Natural Resources & Economic Development - The Senate Committee on Natural Resources and Economic Development will adopt committee rules and hear invited testimony from the Railroad Commission of Texas, the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, and the Texas Workforce Commission.
- 2/20/2019 at 9:00 A.M. in E1.01
- Veteran Affairs & Border Security - The Senate Veteran Affairs and Border Security Committee will meet to consider and adopt the Committee rules and conduct any other organizational business deemed necessary by the Chair.
- 2/20/2019 at 1:30 P.M. in 2E.20
To view Committee Hearings for the Texas Senate click here:
http://www.senate.texas.gov/av-live.php
To view Committee Hearings for the Texas House click here:
http://www.house.state.tx.us/video-audio/
Texas Legislature - 86th Session January 8, 2019 - May 27, 2019
Resources
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.
2019 RTC Principles for Federal Surface Transportation Authorization
Resources
FAST Act
MAP-21
SAFETEA-LU