This bill amends current law to prohibit the Department of Transportation from using state funds for the planning, construction, operation, or management of new passenger rail projects. Specifically, it inserts language stating that no state funds shall be appropriated or expended for these purposes, including the Nashua-Manchester-Concord project listed in the 2019-2028 Ten Year Transportation Improvement Plan. Additionally, the bill modifies the use of toll credits, allowing them to be used solely for highway and road projects, while removing the previous allowance for the Nashua-Manchester-Concord project.

The fiscal impact of this bill is indeterminable for county and local governments, as it may shift the financial burden of passenger rail projects from the state to non-state entities. The Department of Transportation has indicated that this prohibition could jeopardize existing and future passenger rail services, including Amtrak and tourist excursion rail services, by limiting necessary safety and modernization improvements to the rail network. Without state funding to cover the matching share for federal contributions, local governments and private entities may need to bear the costs for planning, construction, operation, and management of any passenger rail projects.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 21-L:2, 228:12-a