Grassroots Priorities 2.0

HB483

In Calendar Committee
Authored by John Bucy (D)
View at Source

Caption: Relating to the use of state money for high-speed rail operated by a private entity and to the construction of certain high-speed rail.
Initially Referred to House S/C on Transportation Funding Committee, chaired by a Democrat

GAWTP Priority #1: Liberty Bills OPPOSED

JoAnn Fleming:
"This bill authorizes the state to do a Comprehensive Development Agreement (CDA or public private partnership) for high-speed rail. Texans intensely oppose the proposed high speed rail projects across the state because of eminent domain threats and because there are zero light rail projects that ever pay for themselves with ridership fees – never. Amtrack is The Prime Example of taxpayer subsidized rail. Historically, Comprehensive Development Agreements use massive amounts of public money and debt to subsidize and prop-up transportation projects that cannot pay for themselves. This is corporate welfare. While private investors can make billions of dollars available for critical infrastructure, these funds are largely a new source of borrowed funds, repaid by taxpayers over what potentially could be a period of several generations. There is no ‘free’ money in transportation public-private partnerships. We strongly oppose opening the door for any more of these crony corporate contracts that put taxpayers on the hook for the losses while taxpayers guarantee the private corporation's profits. Texans deserve better. Vote down HB 483 in committee."

Co-authors: Cole (D)

Nov 12, 2024

(H) Bucy signed onto the bill as Author
(H) Filed

Feb 28, 2025

(H) Read first time
(H) Referred to the House S/C on Transportation Funding, chaired by a Democrat

Apr 28, 2025

(H) Cole signed onto the bill as Coauthor
(H) Scheduled for public hearing in s/c on . . .
(H) Considered by s/c in public hearing
(H) Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in subcommittee
(H) Left pending in subcommittee

May 13, 2025

(H) Considered in formal meeting
(H) Committee substitute considered in committee
(H) Reported favorably as substituted
(H) Vote reconsidered in committee
(H) Reported favorably as substituted

May 16, 2025

(H) Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator

May 19, 2025

(H) Committee report distributed
(H) Committee report sent to Calendars

Lobbying Against/For/On This Bill

Against

(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Jack Finger for self
(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Terri Hall for self (with TURF, Texans for Tollfree Highways, Grassroots America, Liberty in Action, True TX Project)
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Cheri Huddleston for Delta Troy, Ltd.
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Drew Fuller for Texas Farm Bureau
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Linda Lockhart for self
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Paige Holbrooks for Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Richard Bohnert for self

For

(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Andy Brown for Travis County Judge
(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Diego Lopez for self
(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Jay Crossley for Farm And City
(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Miriam Schoenfield for Texas Streets Coalition
(Mon 4/28/2025) Testifying before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Peter LeCody for Texas Rail Advocates
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Ashika Ganguly for Transit Forward
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Ben Wright for Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen (BLET)
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Julie Wheeler for Travis County Commissioners Court
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Katrina Miller for Farm And City
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Melissa Shannon for Bexar County Commissioners Court
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Rachel Hanes for Greater Edwards Aquifer Alliance
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Ross Milloy for self (with Austin-San Antonio Corridor Council)
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Seth Juergens for Texas Realtors
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Steven Deline for self
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as T. Patterson for City of Fort Worth

(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Jeff Davis for Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)
(Mon 4/28/2025) Registering before H S/C on Transportation Funding as Thomas Parkinson for self