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Challenging the Wisdom of the Trans Texas Corridor.
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This page provides a recap of the blow-by-blow CorridorWatch action during the 2007 Texas Regular Legislative session. The most current events are at the top and are as they appeared on the homepage throughout the session. This provides the reader with a historical perspective of the shifting bills, issues, and positions. House Votes To Pass SB792 127 To 19 CorridorWatch was in the House gallery watching as the House voted 127 to 19 in favor of passing SB792 as reported from the Conference Committee. House members were told that the Governor's Office has a clerk standing by waiting for the delivery of SB792 so that it can be signed before Monday. Several Representatives asked questions of Representative Smith to get the legislative intent on the record. Those asking clarifying questions (in order) were Rep. Leibowitz, Kolkhorst, Macias, Bolton, and Noriega. No one spoke in opposition to adoption. Despite Loss of Amendment 13 CorridorWatch Backs SB792 The valiant effort of Representative Lois Kolkhorst together with dozens of other legislators, thousands of CorridorWatch members, and the thousands more who joined us could not over come the tremendous power of the Governor's office. Those who fought this fight with us deserve our gratitude. Did we lose? NO WE WON! We got a lot, a lot more than anyone thought possible! Congratulations! Your calls, faxes and email generated the support necessary to produce a bill that's a giant leap forward in our fight to stop the Trans Texas Corridor. Without your support our effort would have been completely crushed by a Governor who is determined to build the TTC over the objections of Texas citizens, community leaders, and the entire Texas Legislature. Your pressure for Amendment 13 has produced tangible results that will become powerful tools in our continued fight against the TTC. We will get a moratorium. Although it's punched full of holes to accommodate a dozen pending toll road project across the state, SB792 still contains a two-year moratorium that will slow construction of the Trans Texas Corridor, particularly TTC-69. We remain unconvinced that the moratorium language of SB792 is tight enough to stop TTC-35 facility agreements from being executed during the next two-years, but we have been given that assurance from others who are very involved in the process, including Senator Nichols. It has also been put on the official record over and over that it is the intent of the legislature to halt any TTC construction contract from being signed over the next two years, including TTC-35. In response, public representations have been made to the legislature that no TTC construction contracts will be executed during the moratorium. Should that occur a certain firestorm will erupt with CorridorWatch leading a charge against TxDOT. Here are some of the positive things that Senate Bill 792 will do:
Even without Amendment 13 there's enough in SB792 to merit our full support. Our legislators listened, heard us, and did their best to deliver a TTC moratorium. It's not a perfect bill, they seldom are. And yes, there are several provisions that we don't like and would like to see removed. But that time is gone and we'll need to wait until next session to address them. SB792 Compromise Agreement Signed Off on Today It's Thursday and as expected a SB792 Conference Committee agreement was reached today. We believe the House adjourned before the agreement was fully concluded. Accordingly, is should be laid out in the House on Friday and voted on Saturday. The Senate is should move it faster than the House. As we also expected, Amendment 13 was removed to get the deal done. During the negotiation process we heard indications from several sources that assurances were being given that the moratorium would effect TTC-35 without Amendment 13. That may be the case, so we will not jump to any conclusions. Rep. Lois Kolkhorst joined the other four House members in signed off on the agreement Thursday lending more credibility to the claim of getting the coverage in another manner. Amendment 13 had been the sticking point and most reports indicated Kolkhorst has the key holdout. We're waiting on a copy of the newly revised text so that we can start the analysis. Stay tuned . . . Governor Perry Hammers the Senate It's Tuesday and we have crossed into the last week of the regular legislative session. SB792 is still in Conference Committee and a very hot issue. Rep. Lois Kolkhorst has dug in and by every report has refused all pressure to abandon or weaken her 'facility agreement' Amendment 13. The extreme pressure to remove Amendment 13 is the best evidence that Kolkhorst is right in believing this amendment removes a loophole that allows TxDOT to move forward with TTC-35 construction contracts.
See today's
Texas Monthly
Burka Blog,
"Taking the
Rurals for a
Ride" Only weeks ago Perry was reported by the Austin American-Statesman to say he was willing, "sign the moratorium tomorrow" if that was the only thing in the bill. But that was before Kolkhorst gave us an enforceable moratorium. Now his tune has changed. If it were not for Kolkhorst SB792 would have passed and when it failed to stop the TTC Governor Perry would have laid the blame at the feet of the Legislature saying they wrote the bill and he signed the bill they wanted. Everyone in the Senate and the House is fully aware that taking Amendment 13 off SB792 would give a green light to Cintra-Zachry, TxDOT, and TTC-35. Likewise the curtain has been pulled back and their constituents also know exactly what's happening and will decide who will be held responsible. Should SB792 fail to pass the Legislature still has HB1892 waiting for a veto override vote. Of course Perry operatives say he has the 11 votes in the Senate needed to keep HB1892 dead. To make sure he gets his way the Governor's staff is pounding on our Senators every day. Citizens across the state have united in their opposition to the Trans Texas Corridor. They have objected loudly in every forum made available to them. At their state conventions the Republican, Democrat, and Libertarian parties all adopted official platforms opposing the Trans Texas Corridor. What may have started as a rural issue has been joined by urban citizens and become an issue of all Texans.
- David Stall, CorridorWatch House Conference Committee Members Get Busy After no action on Monday, the House got busy on Tuesday. Conference Committee members were named and almost immediately started working on the SB792. By Tuesday night there were signals that a compromise had been reached. But their plan to unveil their work product Wednesday morning seems to have come apart before the night was over. We don't have any indication if amendment 13 is in or out. Meanwhile members on the House floor were reportedly organizing to rebuff SB792 if it shows up without amendment 13.
Stay tuned, we'll let you know as news develops. [Full Conference Committee list]
SB792 Has Fatal
Flaw. There is a fatal flaw in the language of SB792 that would allow TxDOT to proceed with construction of TTC-35, even if the bill becomes law. On May 17, Rep. Lois Kolkhorst fixed that loop hole with House Amendment #13. The Governor has demanded that amendment 13 be removed from SB792. In a document circulated to Senators the Governor's Office complains that, "No segment of TTC-35 can be built during the moratorium, except Loop 9, which is exempted from the moratorium." Of course that is exactly the whole intent of introducing the moratorium bill. Governor Perry has said he would sign a moratorium bill, but that was when it wouldn't stop his TTC. Now he has changed his tune and is pressuring Senators to strip the amendment off SB792 effectively eliminating any moratorium on the TTC. There will be very little if any benefit to most Texans from the passage of SB972 if is fails to contain the provisions of amendment 13 that put an enforceable 2-year hold private CDA projects. Amendment 13 will not effect North Tx projects. None of the projects exempt from the moratorium under SH792 will be effected by the inclusion of amendment 13. SH121, SH161, Loop 9, I635, I820, SH130, and SH45SE can all continue without delay. For a full explanation of the issue with SB792 and why need amendment 13 CLICK HERE. Have We Been Sold Out? Afraid So! By the time you read this the Governor's office may have already out maneuvered us all by effectively removing Trans Texas Corridor TTC-35 from any moratorium limitations in the pending bill, SB792. The Governor's office has targeted seven House amendments for removal. Things are moving so fast there may be no time for anyone outside a small circle of key legislators to impact the outcome. By Monday it is likely that Governor Perry will have his way and the citizens of Texas will have been sold out at the highest levels of it's State Government. The Governor's representatives Kris Heckmann and former Senator Kenneth Armbrister arrived to visit Texas senators shortly after 11:00am Friday morning. About that same time a three page analysis/summary of SB792 amendments, reportedly prepared by Kris Heckman, was circulating among Senators. CorridorWatch has been told that seven amendments have been targeted by the Governor's office for removal. Among those are one by Pickett [6] effecting the El Paso RMA; one by Callegari [12] they believe was misdrafted; three by Kolkhorst [13, 15, & 16] effecting TTC35, CDA penalty payment funds, and a prohibition of investment firms being on both sides of a CDA; one by Quintanilla [22] a county contract provision; and, one by Y. Davis [27] requiring land taken by condemnation be offered back to the owner if unused. Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst met on the floor of the Senate Friday morning with Senators Williams, Carona, and Nichols in an apparent attempt to convince Nichols to agree with removal of the offending amendments (Nichols has since been named to the Conference Committee). It is widely believed that Nichols is unlikely to agree with efforts to weaken the bill. It was Dewhurst who forced SB792 in to play in the first place thereby making his intent to yield to the Governor's wishes very clear. As expected the Senate members named to the conference committee are stacked in favor of producing the Governor's desired outcome. With only three votes out of five required it is unlikely that Nichols will find enough support among the other conferees to preserve the moratorium or other amendments. You may recall Austin political insiders predicted that the legislature would fold under the Governors' pressure. We had given them more credit, but that may prove to be sorely undeserved.
House Conference Committee members were not formally named until Tuesday. But that doesn't mean that Rep. Smith hasn't didn't have them picked and began the process of looking at the bill language the Governor expects them to agree on. CorridorWatch has been told that Senate conferees will start meeting today, Saturday. And word has it that Senator Carona will start 'visiting with likely House conferees' this weekend as well. Anything can happen in conference, but this time the sheet music has been supplied by the Lt. Governor and the Governor is calling the tune. CorridorWatch was wrong! Have you heard that HB1892 won't effect TTC-35? We had, and we thought that it was a load of baloney. Unfortunately, we were wrong. Now we know it and they know we know it. There is no question that it was always the clear legislative intent of HB1892 and SB792 to stop TxDOT from proceeding with any TTC facility construction during the two-year moratorium. Everyone knew that including the Governor and TxDOT and yet they let the legislature believe that these bills would do that. In fact the Governor went on record saying that he would sign the moratorium. Amendment 13 to SB792 offered by Kolkhorst closes a moratorium loophole in HB1892 by including TTC-35 CDA facility agreements. The only exception would be Loop 9. Representatives Anderson, Bohac, Darby, Miles, Miller and Zerwas joined Kolkhorst as coauthors of this amendment. If only one amendment survives the Conference Committee it needs to be Amendment 13. Amendment 13 is "Do or Die" for TTC-35. It is no surprise that Kolkhorst amendment 13 is on the Governor's hit list. If we are to have an enforceable moratorium on the TTC, we must have amendment 13 remain on SB792. Amendment 16 is just good business practice. Rep. Kolkhorst also doesn't think that the financial advisor who develops the market valuation for a project (for the toll authority or TxDOT) should also advise the company that will finance, build, develop or operated a TxDOT toll project. This is another amendment that is targeted for removal. This and other amendments also have merit, but we can't save the world, and were not too sure we can save ourselves from the Trans Texas Corridor.
Once again we ask,
SB792 is Now The New and Improved TTC CDA Moratorium Bill. Thursday House vote: 145 to 2 The next stop is the Senate. Representative Lois Kolkhorst came through on Thursday with a couple great amendments that will ensure the moratorium really stops the Trans Texas Corridor for two years. SB792 is a virtual bullet-bill, but not bullet-proof. The vote to pass SB792 on second reading, as amended, was an incredible 145 to 2. Then, only minutes later the House did something rarely seen, they suspended the Constitutional Rules and moved to take a third and final vote immediately without waiting until Friday. Now the bill will be shot over to the Senate where they had hoped to get it on the Governor's desk by Friday morning. The big question is will they accept it as amended by the House, or complicate the process by going to a conference committee. Almost three hours of TTC bashing. The vast majority of discussion and debate that took place on the House floor today displayed open contempt for the Trans Texas Corridor. Most other toll and highway projects where left alone, except SH281 and Loop 1604 in San Antonio. That wasn't the case with the Trans Texas Corridor. Representative after Representative told the assembled body how much their constituents dislike the TTC. Representative Harvey Hilderbran said that in his district there was, "zero support for the TTC." That caused someone on the floor to reply, "less than zero." It was very clear that the members of the House have been hearing us and our concerns about the Trans Texas Corridor. It was especially gratifying to hear Representatives say that the TTC comes nowhere near their district and yet their Given the roller coaster ride so far this session, it's hard to get too excited. Texas is another step closer to a moratorium, but it seems that the finish line is always a day away. What will the Governor do when the bill lands on his desk? Will he veto HB1892? Will he sign SB792 upon arrival, or will he make us wait another week to find out its fate? None of the uncertainty however, should lessen the sweet taste of victory achieved Thursday. Together Texans have kept a moratorium bill alive and even managed to strengthen it in the process.
HB1892 vs.
SB792 The process of making law is seldom straight forward or predictable. First we had HB2772, then SB1929, then HB1892, then SB792. Still we have no moratorium law. In the last week CorridorWatch has expressed concern about SB792 and continued our push for HB1892. Today that position shifts. Our concern has been that SB792 would fly through the House and get nothing more than a rubber stamp in the process. Now it has become clear that will not happen. In fact, this morning the Austin American Statesman reported that, "By one estimate, there could be several dozen suggested amendments." Thursday SB792 will arrive on the floor of the House, a place where it will certainly evolve into a different bill. We believe that it can emerge as a significantly stronger and better bill with an opportunity to become law. CorridorWatch co-founder David Stall is at the Capitol today actively monitoring discussions of SB792. Stall reports that SB792 will not pass in the House without some very significant amendments. Those amendments will either make SB792 a better bill than HB1892 or will add enough baggage to kill it. Stall also predicts that SB792 is unlikely to arrive on the Governor's desk in time to avoid a certain veto of HB1892. If SB792 fails to live up to our expectations a veto override could put HB1892 back in play. CorridorWatch is confident that Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, author of the original moratorium bill, together and with support of other House members will amend SB792 in such a manner that it will merit our full support. When HB1892 started it didn't give us a moratorium until Rep. Lois Kolkhorst added it as an amendment on the House floor. If history repeats, amendments will again transform a questionable bill into a good bill. Bottom Line Bottom line, we don't care what number is on the bill as long as the end result is a bill that passes into law, a law that gives us a real and enforceable two-year moratorium on Trans Texas Corridor 35. That leverage can help stop TTC-35, TTC-69 and all future TTC projects in their current form. Time is running out. It's time to take a leap of faith. Please, support your Representative, whatever the bill number. Mr. Governor, be careful what you ask for. This is not a legislature that has been impressed with the performance of TxDOT. As well they should not be. Reports on TxDOT performance, their projections, and their conclusions have time after time resulted in a failing grade. TxDOT has also come under fire for questionable justification used in support of their aggressive policy positions. CorridorWatch co-founder Linda Stall told television reporters last week, "Special session? Bring it on! If any one issue deserves more study and more of a thorough look, it's transportation. We have a rogue agency, TxDOT is out of control."A host of Texas officials have expressed their concern over TxDOT the last two years. A State Senator accused them of extortion, a county commissioner says improper influence, a State Representative says threats, State Auditor says faulty accounting practices, and underestimated costs. The citizens of Texas should welcome the opportunities that a special session will bring. Hang On, The Ride Isn't Over Yet HB1892 has become the hottest issue of the 2007 session. Threats to the Legislature fly out of the Governor's Office while TxDOT continues waving its arms. Is anyone listening? Chairman Carona is working to clean-up HB1892 and keep the moratorium in law. HB1892 hasn't been signed - or vetoed. If Senator Carona has his way the threatened veto won't happen. Instead he and others are working to use a Senate bill to "improve" provisions of HB1892. CorridorWatch is told that the 2-year moratorium and CDA buyback safeguards will remain unaffected. Dates to watch: May 18 and May 28. If Carona is to be successful he must move the new bill (SB792) through the Senate and House before the May 18 veto deadline for HB1892. Until the session ends on May 28 almost anything can happen. Federal funding threat long on drama, short on substance. On May 9, 2007, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters confirmed in a letter to U.S. Senator Hutchison that HB1892 "can be implemented in a manner consistent with Federal Law" and "would not affect the State's eligibility for funding under the Federal-aid highway program." Get Ready; We Smell a Veto Every day we see more signs that the Governor plans to veto HB1892 - Thereby killing the CDA moratorium along with other controls it puts on TxDOT. Can HB1892 remain veto proof? It's far from automatic, but yes it can stay veto proof. Overcoming a veto will require another vote in both houses of the legislature. At least 21 Senators and 100 Representatives must vote to overturn the veto upon the bill's reconsideration. Any less in either house and the veto sticks and the bill dies. Some political insiders are already predicting that the legislature will fold under the Governors' pressure. All Ayes focus on the Senate. Sustaining a veto is a simple numbers game. In the Senate those numbers are smaller and the Governor has a four vote head start towards the eleven Nay votes he will need to kill HB1892. The Sky is Falling! – So Says Michael Behrens, TxDOT Executive Director "As well it should," says CorridorWatch co-founder David Stall. Stall says, "No state agency deserves to have the sky fall on their world more than TxDOT. They've earned it with several years of willful misconduct under the leadership of Ric Williamson." In response to Behrens, Stall claims there is no state agency that has conducted itself in such a heavy-handed, self-serving, public-be-damned fashion as the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). They know no bounds. They run roughshod over everyone from private citizens, to transportation consultants, to city and county officials, to statewide transportation organizations, to state legislators, to legislative committees, and even the United States Congress. Anyone that disagrees with anything the Texas Transportation Commission has decided will find the entire range of TxDOT resources used to crush them. In a letter responding to Rep. Fred Hill, Michael Behrens bemoans the fate of TxDOT projects should HB1892 become law. If TxDOT has problems they only have themselves to blame. CorridorWatch believes that the public deserves better than what they've been getting from TxDOT. Stall says, "TxDOT needs to change the way they do business. Maybe this will remind them that their primary mission is not extracting money from the public they were created to serve." The real question that should be asked is, can the legislature get this monster under control or will TxDOT prove to have enough power and control to continue doing whatever they want without restraint.
VICTORY !
May 2, 2007 The next stop is the Governor's Desk. HB1892 passed last week in the Senate 27 to 4 and today in the House by a vote of 139 to 1. The lone supporter was Rep. Mike Krusee. Those margins don't invite a veto, but Governor Perry is poised with pen in hand. He has until Monday, May 14th to send the bill back with his veto and objections. If he doesn't act by that date the bill will automatically become law. The Trans Texas Corridor is effectively stopped for 30 months. Today's action puts the breaks on the TTC and initiates a study process that will bring to light the numerous flaws surrounding the project. Job well done. Thank you everyone. Members of CorridorWatch and our numerous friends and allies in the fight have won a tremendous victory for the state of Texas and its citizens. You should know that nearly everyone believed that what you have accomplished today was impossible. Yes, it was hard. And yes, there's still a lot to do. But what we have done together this session will provide the time and encouragement to take our fight to the next level. CorridorWatch especially applauds the Senators and Representatives who listened to our concerns and led the charge inside the Capitol. Without their efforts we would have been lost. CorridorWatch.org
House Committee Moves SB1267 Out Today, May 1. Ask yourself why Chairman Krusee moved SB1267 now. Beware of this Trojan Horse. CorridorWatch believes this is a last ditch effort to draw support away from HB1892. Why? Because HB1892 does far more to limit and restrict CDA contracts than SB1267 and it can overcome a veto. Shifting focus now can only give more time to delay and ultimately kill the moratorium. Keep focused on getting a large majority concurrence on HB1892.
Despite Twists and Turns HB1892 is Ready for Action in the
House. It's not over until it's over. The Governor's Office and TxDOT are keeping up the political pressure. Resorting to scare tactics and unsubstantiated claims fans of the TTC and other private CDA projects are assaulting the legislature. Call your State Representative right now, today! Now is not the time to stumble short of the finish line. Monday was a day full of action HB1892 was sent back to the Senate for a fix (40-year CDA limit exception for SH121, 161 and managed lanes on 635). With lightening speed HB1892 was fixed and sent back to the House where it still could be taken up by the House on Tuesday night. It is very likely that it will be taken under consideration on Wednesday. You really need to make that call NOW. If you don't have your Reps phone number handy click HERE.Additions to HB1892 will help protect Texas and Texans. HB1892 now includes more restrictions, tighter controls and better oversight on Comprehensive Development Agreements (CDA) as well as increased public access and notice requirements. The FHWA funding threat is just a smoke screen. The threat letter from FHWA resulting from the efforts of Chairman Krusee contains far more pro private CDA rhetoric than legal substance. Amendments in the Senate have fully resolved any potential issues, if they ever existed.Legislators should join CorridorWatch in being offended, not intimidated, by this overt attempt by a federal agency to influence this state's legislative process. The House can join the Senate and send a message that's loud and crystal clear. The collective voice of the Legislature has said enough is enough. TxDOT is pushing too hard, pushing too far, and too fast. Since the Transportation Commission won't rein in TxDOT, it is necessary that the Legislature take action. State Auditor Punches More Holes In TxDOT Funding Gap A report released today challenges TxDOT's gap assessment saying, "it may not be reliable for making policy or funding decisions." TxDOT's Strategic Plan claims the state is facing an $86 billion transportation funding gap and uses that shortfall as justification for their aggressive advancement of statewide toll and corridor projects. However, today's report finds an $8.6 billion error and another $37 billion is estimated, lacks supporting documentation, or is nothing more than a guess. By any calculation the number has been improperly inflated at least 10% if not much more.The Auditor found that TxDOT's number are based on self-reported estimates and unsupported assumptions. This is exactly the kind of loose and careless attention to detail that should worry everyone about TxDOT's rush into public-private partnerships. These contracts will likely saddle generations of Texans with horrific transportation costs and limitations when the very crisis that supposedly demands them may have never existed. BANG! BANG! BANG! CDA Moratorium Bill (HB1892) has PASSED in the Full Senate 27 to 4 The next stop for HB1892 is the House. HB1892 has been passed with the addition of more restrictions, tighter controls and oversight on Comprehensive Development Agreements (CDA); and, increased public access and notice. CorridorWatch applauds the Senate's effort to provide Texas with greater protection from bad CDA deals, increased public disclosure, and more opportunities for public input in the process. These are the very issues that CorridorWatch co-founders David and Linda Stall testified on and urged last Wednesday before the Senate Transportation and Homeland Security Committee. Voting against HB1892: Senators Lucio, Ogden, Duncan, and Averitt. Senators Ogden and Averitt didn't think the bill went far enough to limit tolls or prevent foreign ownership of toll roads. Krusee-FHWA hand grenade a dud. CorridorWatch was first to report House Transportation Chairman Krusee had requested an opinion from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) specifically on HB1892. The resulting threat letter from FHWA through TxDOT appears to contain more pro private CDA rhetoric than legal substance. CorridorWatch is offended by the overt attempt of a federal agency to exercise questionable influence over the state legislative process. It appears that it is their intent to dictate state policy. Floor amendments adopted today fully resolve any potential issues, if they ever really existed. The grenade fizzled. Representative Wayne Smith has notified the Speaker of his intention to concur. HB1892 is the much expanded offering of Representative Wayne Smith. Since it is his bill, he controls where the bill goes from here. If Rep. Smith objected to the bill as it was returned from the Senate he could have sent it to Conference Committee where it could have been delayed or drastically altered. However, CorridorWatch has been told that Rep. Smith has reviewed the amendments and plans to concur with the bill. Accordingly, it will soon go to the House floor for a final vote. Once passed it will be sent to the Governor for signature, veto, or become law automatically if he takes no action. The Texas Senate sends a very strong message to the Governor, Texas Transportation Commission, and the Texas Department of Transportation. The collective voice of the Senate has said enough is enough. TxDOT is pushing too hard, pushing too far, and too fast. If the Transportation Commission won't rein in TxDOT it is becoming very clear that the Legislature will. David Stall of CorridorWatch says, "this is the price the Commission and TxDOT will pay for creating a culture of arrogance and flaunting the will of the people and the legislature." The House can join the Senate and amplify the message, making it louder and crystal clear. With Rep. Smith's concurrence the bill will get a quick vote with enough time remaining to overcome a veto, should the Governor take that action. HB1892 was been place on the Items Eligible for Consideration calendar on Monday, April 30, 2007. "To veto this bill would be the grandest act of arrogance imaginable. This is not an obscure or misunderstood piece of legislation. Tens of thousands of Texans know exactly what this bill is about and they want it passed. The Governor should take pause and respect the will of the people," said Stall Another Call To Action. CorridorWatch will encourage its members to contact their State Representatives to ensure continued strong support for HB1892. According to Stall, "There have been a lot changes to this bill and our Representatives need to know that the moratorium bill they sent to the Senate has returned with several new protections and deserves even more vigorous support." Transportation Reformation Act (SB1929) Passes Senate Committee Subjected to another handful of amendments, SB1929 was finally passed out of committee. After having been left in committee overnight this bill was taken up by the Committee at the Chairman's desk on the floor Thursday. With several amendments that amount to not much more than minor corrections and adjustments SB1929 was passed. Senator Nichols cast the only no vote. Now the bill will land in the House Transportation Committee where is will likely get the cold shoulder from Chairman Krusee. Fortunately, those provisions of the bill that would most significantly address concerns and issues related to the Trans Texas Corridor have already been attached to HB1829 and will therefore bypass the House Transportation Committee.
Senate CDA
Moratorium Bill
(SB1267) SB1267 is on the way to the House. While collecting a couple more amendments on the floor the moratorium has passed in the Senate. Notable amendments exempt Loop 9 in the DFW area from the moratorium and explicitly includes Bexar County's SH281 in the moratorium while leaving Loop 1604 exempt.
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This Page Last Updated: Wednesday May 30, 2007