Spotlight on Transportation Interim Charges

See below for a spotlight on House and Senate interim charges related to transportation organized by committee.

House

Trade, Workforce, and Economic Development Committee

• Supply Chain Resilience and Economic Security: Identify strategies to strengthen and secure Texas’ supply chains across critical industries, including manufacturing, energy, technology, food and agriculture, health care, and logistics. Examine vulnerabilities related to workforce availability, infrastructure capacity, domestic production, supplier concentration, and global disruptions. Identify workforce-aligned economic development policies that improve supply chain resilience, reduce dependency risks, support Texas-based production, and ensure continuity of goods and services essential to the state’s economy.

Transportation Committee

• Monitoring: Monitor the implementation and associated rulemaking of all legislation passed by the Committee and enacted by the 89th Legislature to ensure that legislative purposes are properly implemented, including the following:
  • SB 1555, relating to a grant program to fund certain railroad grade separation projects; and
  • SB 1939, relating to the ship channel improvement revolving fund.
• Foreign Holders of Commercial Driver Licenses: Evaluate the presence of nondomiciled commercial driver licenses (CDL) holders operating in Texas, including whether their presence correlates with an increase in traffic incidents. Review state and federal regulations, including English proficiency standards, applicable to non-domiciled CDL holders and make recommendations to protect public safety.
• Legislative Prioritization of Texas Department of Transportation Projects: Study the need for the Texas Department of Transportation to receive prioritization direction from members of the Texas Legislature, including when identifying local projects for construction or maintenance.
• Texas Department of Transportation Construction Communications: Review the Texas Department of Transportation’s planning and communication strategies for roadway and exit closures during and after construction. Make recommendations on how planning and communication can be improved.
• Supporting Texas Ports: Assess the overall economic impact of Texas seaports and the maritime industry on the state. Evaluate the short- and long-term needs of seaports, including roadway connectivity and capacity needs, and recommend strategies to promote increased commerce and economic development within the maritime sector.
• Speed Enforcement in Work and School Zones: Evaluate measures to enhance roadside worker and public safety, including limited authorization of speed enforcement mechanisms in high-speed work zones and school zones. Consider measures that would safeguard Texans’ privacy, prohibit automated retention of data, and prevent citations from being issued by third-party entities.
• Texas Department of Motor Vehicles Review: Evaluate the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles’ statutory authority, duties, programs, and functions. Identify opportunities to increase efficiency and eliminate duplicative services provided by other state agencies.

Select Committee on General Aviation

• Examine the condition and capacity of general aviation airports in the state, as well as capital improvements necessary to promote transportation access and aviation safety. Identify opportunities for the state to maximize federal funding for airport improvements and other alternative funding sources for aviation infrastructure.
• Evaluate barriers for carriers to expand regional air service and enter underserved markets. Recommend options for the development of a statewide regional air service master plan.
• Study shortages in the aviation workforce and explore opportunities for the aviation industry to partner with public universities, community colleges, and state technical colleges to develop training pathways.
• Examine the role of general aviation airports in responding to disasters. Identify improvements to better facilitate staging and deployment of assets, and improved coordination between state and federal agencies.
• Study governance and procurement frameworks for general aviation airports, including the assessment of fees. Recommend best practices to improve operational efficiency and position general aviation airports to integrate emerging aviation technology.

Senate

Finance Committee

• Evaluating Transportation Resources: Study current transportation funding from all sources and the long-term needs of Texas drivers. Assess the implementation of funding appropriated by the 89th Legislature and make recommendations to ensure the effective and efficient use of transportation funding.

Transportation Committee

• Prioritizing Public Safety at Rail-Grade Crossings: Examine the Texas Department of Transportation’s implementation of increased funding for rail-grade separation projects. Examine how the agency is using these new resources to prioritize projects for mobility and safety concerns. Make recommendations to ensure that expanded state investments deliver measurable improvements in freight movement and community safety.
• Studying the Deployment of Autonomous Vehicle Technology: Study the deployment of autonomous vehicle technology as authorized by SB 2807, (89th Session), including rule-making adopted by the Texas Department of Public Safety, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles and the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Quantify the impact on traffic-related collisions. Make recommendations to ensure that the continued deployment of autonomous vehicles prioritizes public safety and aligns with the evolving technological landscape on Texas roads.
• Strengthening Commercial Driver License Standards and Oversight: Examine the issuance of Commercial Driver Licenses (CDL) in Texas. Identify opportunities to strengthen safety standards of third-party CDL training schools and testing facilities, such as unannounced or undercover audits. Review program standards of English-proficiency throughout the CDL program for all commercial drivers in Texas, regardless of destination. Examine law enforcement policies relating to roadside inspections, including how an officer verifies the validity of a CDL and associated documents. Make recommendations to bolster the integrity of third party providers, to ensure English-proficiency among Texas CDL holders, and to support public safety through enforcement.

Select Committee on Homeland and Border Security

• Securing Texas Land Ports of Entry: Study security measures at Land Ports of Entry (LPOE) that connect Texas and Mexico and review the commercial vehicle inspection capacity of existing LPOEs. Review the LPOEs projected to open to commercial traffic, as well as proposed projects that could establish future LPOEs. Consider the establishment of a uniform inspection requirement at all current and future LPOEs. Determine the feasibility of providing inspections on southbound commercial traffic at all LPOEs. Make recommendations to standardize state procedures that secure Texas communities and LPOEs.
• Combating Criminal Activities on Oversize and Overweight Routes: Evaluate the movement of oversize and/or overweight commercial vehicles transporting hazardous materials throughout the Texas Border region. Review past accidents related to overweight fuel trucks and determine their overall impact on public safety, both on and off roadways. Make recommendations to deter transportation companies from overloading fuel trucks and to enhance public safety along oversize and overweight routes in Texas.