Legislative Affairs
Both the Texas Legislature and the United States Congress address many important transportation issues that affect the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Transportation and air quality in the North Central Texas region are impacted by legislative decisions at the State and federal levels.
NCTCOG staff regularly update policy and technical committee members, transportation partners and others interested in monitoring legislative initiatives related to the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) legislative priorities.
In order to understand current legislative initiatives, the RTC directed the development of a Transportation Funding 101 primer so legislators and the general public can better understand funding sources for transportation as well as trends that impact the amount of funding available. A shortfall of funding has been identified and the primer also addresses potential solutions to increase funding options.
Legislative Update
October 4, 2024
FROM WASHINGTON, D.C.
Congress was on recess throughout the month of August and returned on September 9. Following their return, members worked to get legislation marked up or approved before the November election. The main item at hand was to keep the government open and funded.
On September 25, Congress passed its short-term funding bill – a Continuing Resolution extending current Fiscal Year 2024 funding levels through December 20 – avoiding a government shut down. This spending bill only funds what is “necessary” and does not include any partisan language, outside of an extra $200 million for Secret Service protections and Presidential transitions. Congress returns to DC on November 12, after the election, and will have to agree on FY25 funding before the Continuing Resolution expires in December. A full appropriations bill or another Continuing Resolution will need to be agreed to and passed or else there will be another potential government shutdown looming before Christmas.
Federal Rulemaking Calendar
Americans With Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines; EV Charging Stations
AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
ACTION: Notice of proposed rulemaking
SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board is issuing this notice of proposed rulemaking to amend the accessibility guidelines for buildings and facilities covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) and the Architectural Barriers Act of 1968 (ABA) to specifically address the accessibility of Electric Vehicle Charging stations. This proposed rule provides specifications for the accessibility of EV charging stations, to include the EV charger (including physical and communication access), EV charging space, access aisles, and accessible routes.
DATES: Comments are due by November 4, 2024.
Federal Register :: Americans With Disabilities Act and Architectural Barriers Act Accessibility Guidelines; EV Charging Stations
FROM AUSTIN
August Texas Transportation Commission
The Texas Transportation Commission met on August 22, 2024, and approved the 2025 Unified Transportation Program (UTP). This plan includes over 12,000 projects valued at over $104 billion. The UTP is a planning guide for transportation infrastructure projects over the next 10 years, getting yearly updates. This new UTP has record level funding.
The Commission also approved TxDOT’s FY26-27 Legislative Appropriations Request for the upcoming biennium to be considered by the Texas Legislature in the upcoming legislative session that begins in January 2025.
September Texas Transportation Commission
The Texas Transportation Commission met on September 26, 2024, to discuss routine items such as highway contracts, maritime matters, Aviation and Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee member appointments, and public transportation programs.
MONITORED BILLS LIST
The Texas Legislature is not in session. If you need information on the federal bills being tracked, please contact Rebekah Gongora at rgongora@nctcog.org.
HIGHLIGHTED BILLS
H.R. 9747 – Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2025. Signed by the President on September 26, 2024.
This bill provides continuing FY 2025 appropriations for federal agencies, provides additional funding for the U.S. Secret Service, and extends various expiring programs and authorities through December 20, 2024.
RECENT COMMITTEE HEARINGS
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
TEXAS SENATE
Senate Committee on Transportation
The Senate Committee on Transportation met on September 18, 2024, to discuss transportation funding, autonomous vehicle safety, review trends to guide future planning, and evaluate the President’s plan to transition to electric vehicles. TxDOT Executive Director Marc Williams testified and provided a history of recent funding and highlighted the impact of Propositions 1 and 7, which have generated nearly $36 billion for transportation projects, contributing to a 200% increase in the Texas Unified Transportation Program budget. Williams also fielded questions on construction costs, AI in traffic management, competition standards, and long-term debt servicing.
Following his testimony, various witnesses discussed other transportation modes and topics. Port authority representatives noted increased maritime traffic's contributions to state and national GDP. Rail line representatives reported steady traffic growth and successful rail crossing eliminations. Industry experts highlighted Texas's leadership in autonomous vehicle development, with ongoing advancements attracting national interest. Lastly, witnesses addressed the rollout of EV charging infrastructure and its effects on the grid and ADA compliance issues.
Senate Business and Commerce Committee
The Senate Business and Commerce Committee met on October 1, 2024, and heard invited testimony on the state’s ability to keep pace with increasing electricity demand related to population growth, electric vehicles, and data centers, and explored innovative power generation technologies.
TEXAS HOUSE
House Committee on Appropriations
The House Committee on Appropriations met on September 24, 2024, on a wide variety of topics including SpaceX in Texas, the Texas Energy Fund, and demographics. Information regarding the new demographics report from the state demographer showed that the State is continuing its growth despite some statistics indicating we could be leveling off soon. Concerns over Texas’ natural birth rates declining was highlighted, however this lack of births is being made up in the form of migration into the state. Texas is continuing its trend of being number one in terms of population growth with 30,500,000 in 2023. Most of the growth in the state is localized in the Triangle, although communities east of I-30 are becoming more centralized hubs.
UPCOMING COMMITTEE HEARINGS
TEXAS LEGISLATURE
TEXAS HOUSE
House Committee on Transportation
The Committee will meet October 10, 2024, to discuss approved legislation from the 88th Legislature, including HB 718 relating to the issuance of metal license plates, and SB 505 relating to imposing an additional registration fee for an electric vehicle. Other topics to be discussed include port infrastructure and the maritime industry, bridge safety, and road traffic relief.
Texas Legislature - 89th Session January 14, 2025 - June 2, 2025
-Regional Transportation Council Legislative Program for the 89th Texas Legislature 
Texas Legislature - 88th Session January 10, 2023 - May 29, 2023
- Regional Transportation Council Legislative Program for the 88th Texas Legislature
- 88th Texas Legislature Summary of Bills (2023)
Other Resources
- Texas House of Representatives
Congressional Updates important to our region
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.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), signed into law by President Biden on November 15, 2021, is a five-year bill that authorizes $567.5 billion for surface transportation, including roads and bridges, and an additional $550 billion for water, broadband, cybersecurity, and energy infrastructure. With a total funding amount of $1.2 trillion, the act aims to modernize infrastructure across the nation and is set to expire on September 30, 2026.
2019 RTC Principles for Federal Surface Transportation Authorization