Fla. House pulls high-speed rail safety bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — At the last minute, Fla.’s House committee postponed its vote on a proposed bill regulating high-speed passenger trains, such as the state’s Brightline system, raising questions about the future of the legislation, the Palm Beach Post reports.

The bill, which would require high-speed rail companies to install positive train control (PTC) and pay for fencing along section of its tracks where pedestrians could be at risk, was set to be taken up by the state Transportation & Infrastructure Subcommittee but was “temporarily postponed” with no explanation given just hours before.

This may only be a temporary victory for high-speed rail operators in the state, however, as a companion bill in the state Senate cleared its first hurdle earlier this month and is headed to the Senate’s Community Affair Committee. That bill would establish minimum safety standards for high-speed rail, including the installation of PTC and remote health monitoring safety technology. For the full story, click here.