S. 1360: A bill to amend the limitation on liability for passenger rail accidents or incidents under section 28103 of title 49, United States Code, and for other purposes.

114th Congress · introduced 2015-05-18 · Transportation and Public Works · Latest: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.

federal

Follow this bill, step by step

Where it came from: introduced 2015-05-18 · official record
Who proposed it: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL] · what a sponsor is
What happened next: no floor votes in our records yet. Why?
Where it stands now: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation. 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

A bill to amend the limitation on liability for passenger rail accidents or incidents under section 28103 of title 49, United States Code, and for other purposes.

Plain summary

This bill revises the limitation on passenger rail transportation liability to increase from $200 million to $500 million, adjusted annually for inflation, the aggregate allowable awards to all rail passengers, against all defendants, for all claims, including any for punitive damages, arising from a single accident or incident. The Department of Transportation (DOT) must consider, within two years after enactment of this Act, whether to: make any needed additional adjustments to the liability cap; and establish or adjust mandatory coverage for Amtrak, any high-speed railroad authority or operator, any commuter authority or operator, any rail carrier, or any state (listed entities). The total minimum liability coverage Amtrak must maintain for claims through insurance and self-insurance shall increase from $200 million per accident or incident to $500 million, unless DOT, by regulation, determines that a different minimum level of financial responsibility is necessary or sufficient to satisfy claims. DOT may make a grant to Amtrak or another listed entity as a reasonable reimbursement, considering ability to meet increased costs and impacts on safety and service, to offset any incremental increase in the cost of insurance resulting from this Act.

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate), 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.

PSI Sci description of the legislative step (not an opinion).

What does this mean? (plain words)

Official text

A bill to amend the limitation on liability for passenger rail accidents or incidents under section 28103 of title 49, United States Code, and for other purposes.

Source: Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)

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Alternatives

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

Officials and money

Sponsor: Sen. Nelson, Bill [D-FL] · 4 cosponsors

Cost estimate: No cost estimate published yet.

Cosponsors on this site

Richard Blumenthal (D-CT)

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 (2)

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).
Rulemaking: The process agencies use to write regulations that carry out laws passed by Congress or a legislature. Usually an agency publishes a proposed rule, takes public comments, then publishes a final rule.

Plain meanings written from linked sources. All words.

Sources

Congressional Research Service summary (Introduced in Senate)
Congress.gov
Data: GovInfo BILLSTATUS bulk data (Library of Congress), BILLSTATUS-114s1360.xml <https://www.govinfo.gov/bulkdata/BILLSTATUS/114/s>

Record fed-us-cong114-s1360 · catalog fed-us-congress-bills-cong114 · updated 2026-11-15 by psicol fed-bills-cong114