2017 legislation – Page 3 – InfoHive

Lege Trend. Heavier Loads on Trucks. 5 Reasons Industry Supports it.

SB 1524 allows for heavier loads on big trucks when:

Supporters say:

anticipated 500,000 TEU increase in annual containerized exports of plastic resin
$100 Billion in new or expanded plant capacity along Texas coast
the rise in plastic resin is due to cheap natural gas feedstock
American Chemistry COuncil warned that without allowing for larger loads would harm the economic…

A lawsuit from 78 year old property owner and a countersuit by Texas High Speed Rail had a hearing this week
What put them into court was whether the rail could have pre-condemantion access to the property to survey it
What kept them in court, when Texas Central Rail, had dropped other similar lawsuits, was that this lawsuit wanted Texas Central Rail to admit that it did not have eminent domain authority

No ruling yet from the Court.

HCR 108 by Zerwas triggers a provision in Proposition 7 that allows the Legislature to cut Prop. 7 funding to TXDOT by 50%
HCR 108 would require 2/3 vote in each chamber

Highlights from Texas Central Rail repsonse to the high speed rail bill package:

” a slate of discriminatory bills”
it is the “use the power of the state government to single out and kill a free market project”
10,000 jobs are represented by high speed rail project
Billions of dollars will be invested in the Texas economy
Collaborating with landowners
“a majority of Texans have been clamoring for” this project

Considering implementing an electric vehicle fee in 2017 are:

How does this compare to the current electric vehicle fees? 10 states have electric vehcile fees which range from $50 to $300

Which members joined forces to file bills to impede high speed rail?

The hot issues in the press release announcement:

big bad evil #1 : foreign investments (remember Trans Texas Corridor & Cintra, anyone?)
big bad evil #2: it will hurt family farms and private property rights
big bad evil #3: this is going to be expensive, more expensive than they are saying
big bad evil…