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Subcommittee advances bill to enshrine two‑person freight crew requirement
Summary
HB25 would codify a minimum two‑person crew on freight movements and establish civil penalties; the subcommittee reported it 7‑2 after extensive testimony from rail labor in favor and rail carriers and associations arguing federal preemption and lack of supporting safety data.
The subcommittee voted to report HB25, a bill that would add language to the Code of Virginia requiring a minimum two‑person crew for freight movements and setting escalating civil penalties for violations, by a recorded vote of 7 to 2.
Sponsor Delegate Anthony said the bill would preserve current safe operating practices if federal administrative rules are rolled back and framed the measure as not creating jobs but ensuring safety. He said several states have enacted similar laws and cited recent derailments as evidence of risk.
Union and labor witnesses, including representatives from SMART, the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen, and local conductors, uniformly supported the bill as a common‑sense safety measure. "Safety is not for sale," a union representative said during testimony, citing past derailments and emergency response concerns.
Railroad interests, including the Virginia Railroad Association and CSX, opposed the bill and argued it is preempted by the Federal Railroad Administration's final rule and lacks evidence of noncompliance; they cautioned state laws could conflict with federal authority or collective bargaining. The industry noted the FRA rule currently requires two persons in most freight operations while providing exemptions in certain switching, work train and short‑line contexts.
After back‑and‑forth on those legal and safety points, the subcommittee reported HB25 favorably 7 to 2.
