Louisiana bill is first step to passenger rail service

A Louisiana House committee took the first steps toward setting up a means to establish train or light rail services in regions of the state, the New Orelans Times Picayune reports. The Committee on Transportation, Highways and Public Works gave unanimous support to House Bill 1410 by Rep. Michael Jackson, I-Baton Rouge, a longtime proponent of rail and mass transit. The bill now heads to the House floor for debate.

The measure would authorize
two or more cities or parishes to form "rail compacts" to set up
train or light rail services.

Jackson said the councils
and voters of each parish or city involved would have to approve the rail
compacts and service.

The compacts would be
authorized to set fares and fees for operations and maintenance and to issue
bonds for their projects.

If Baton Rouge and New
Orleans want to have rapid rail or train service linking the two areas, but the
parishes between them do not, those parishes could opt out but could not derail
the project, Jackson said. Parishes that opt out would not have stops or depots
located in those areas and would not participate in financing the service or
derive benefits from it.

Jackson said rail lines are
an economic stimulus to an area and can create jobs and revenues for government
and businesses.

The bill also would give
the rail compacts the authority to contract with private businesses to provide
rail service in an area. The local compact could also seek federal funds for
services, Jackson said.

"There is a rail
renaissance in the United States and Louisiana can be part of that,"
Jackson told the panel as he outlined his 26-page bill with three pages of
changes.

"This is an
opportunity to develop rail in Louisiana, not just as it relates to the Baton
Rouge and New Orleans corridor," Jackson said. "It is a statewide
initiative."

"This is an awful big
expansion of government," said Rep. Johnny Guinn, R-Jennings. "This
is the state taking over the railroads."

The bill was backed by
chambers of commerce around the state, and the United Transportation Union.
Officials of the commercial railroads did not testify for or against Jackson’s
bill.

The compacts, Jackson said,
would be overseen by five-member boards, including the secretary of the
Department of Transportation and Development and the chief planning officer of
a city or parish.

"A lot of work has
gone into this bill with the administration" of Gov. Bobby Jindal, Jackson
said. Aides to Jindal neither opposed nor endorsed Jackson’s bill during the
committee hearing.