H.R. 1291: Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Act of 2015

114th Congress · introduced 2015-03-04 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-03-04 · official record
Who proposed it: Rep. Esty, Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Referred to the Subcommittee on Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials. Not final yet: this can still change. We check for updates every day.
If it becomes law and spends money: follow the money to money laws, then agencies and contracts and grants.

What does this mean?

Official title

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Act of 2015

Plain summary

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Act of 2015 This bill authorizes appropriations for FY2016-FY2019 for the highway safety improvement program, with $50 million set aside for each fiscal year for the Railway-Highway Crossings Program. The limitation to three states per year is eliminated, so all states now become eligible for the award of Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety improvement grants to develop or continue enhanced public education and awareness activities, in combination with targeted law enforcement, to reduce traffic law violations at highway-rail grade crossings, as well as to prevent and reduce injuries and fatalities along railroad rights-of-way. The limitation on grant amounts awarded to a state is increased from $250,000 to $2.5 million. Eligibility requirements are revised for the award of capital grants to states under the rail line relocation and improvement program. Increased appropriations under the Rail Safety Improvement Act of 2008 are authorized for FY2016-FY2019 for the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) to make grants to the Operation Lifesaver program. The FRA shall hire: 16 full-time grade crossing safety managers to work with state and local officials to identify safety improvements to highway-rail grade crossings; and 8 trespass prevention managers to work with local governments, schools, businesses, and railroads to develop site-specific mitigation plans. The Secretary of Transportation shall study the feasibility of requiring railroad carriers to provide additional means for the public to report problems at highway-rail grade crossings, including via the Internet and text messaging.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House), quoted unchanged (nonpartisan). Read the source.

What a vote does

A “Yea” vote

If it passes both chambers and is signed, it becomes law.

A “Nay” vote

If it is not passed, current law stays as it is.

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What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

Highway-Rail Grade Crossing Safety Act of 2015

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)

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How did my representative vote? · This bill's floor votes

Officials and money

Sponsor: Rep. Esty, Elizabeth H. [D-CT-5] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

James A. Himes (D-CT), Julia Brownley (D-CA)

No linked floor roll calls in our collected records yet. This does not mean the bill has never had a vote. Check the official bill history.

Words on this page, explained (4)

Appropriation: Money a legislature sets aside by law for a specific purpose. Government agencies may spend public money only as it has been appropriated.
Authorization: A law that creates or continues a government program and says what it may do, often with a suggested spending ceiling. An authorization alone does not provide money; a separate appropriation does.
Bill: A proposed law. It becomes law only if it passes the legislature and is signed by the president or governor (or a veto is overridden).
Fiscal year: The 12-month period a government uses for its budget. The federal fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30 and is named for the calendar year in which it ends. Most states use July 1 to June 30.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in House)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114hr1291.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/hr>

Record fed-us-cong114-hr1291 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114