AB 960

Under current law, the Department of Transportation (DOT) administers a rail

passenger route development program, funded from general obligation bond

proceeds. The program allows DOT, subject to various limitations, to provide funds

for certain expenses relating to rail passenger service, including capital costs related

to rail passenger service routes between the cities of Milwaukee and Madison.

Federal funds may also be available for rail passenger service route development.

This bill prohibits DOT, as well as any other state agency or regional transit

authority, from encumbering or expending any federal, state, or local funds for any

aspect of a rail passenger service extension project, including for costs associated

with environmental assessments or reports, preliminary engineering or design

work, or project construction, unless the legislature has approved the project by

statutory enumeration. The bill defines a "rail passenger service extension project"

as a project that involves extending an existing rail passenger route, or creating a

new rail passenger route, within any corridor between the cities of Milwaukee and

Madison. The bill does not enumerate any such projects.