Public Works and Highways committee votes not to recommend four transportation bills

The Public Works and Highways Committee met in a final work session to consider four house bills and voted to recommend against future legislation on each motion presented. The measures covered passenger rail funding, electric vehicle charging requirements in state-funded construction, a hazard mitigation funding proposal and a plan to convert exit numbers to mileage-based numbering on major highways.

Committee Chair opened the meeting and introduced House Bill 110, which would prohibit use of state funds for new passenger rail projects. Representative Jack moved that the committee "not recommend for future legislation." Representative Newman objected to blanket prohibitions, calling the measure "poor legislation, poor governance." After a roll call the chair announced the motion carried (vote announced in the transcript as 15-0). The committee treated the item as a recommendation against advancing the bill rather than as enactment of policy.

The committee then considered House Bill 606, a proposal to require electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure in state buildings and…