PHOENIX — Republican lawmakers are moving to forever quash the idea of intercity rail.
And they’re doing it in a way that could force Democrat Gov. Katie Hobbs to go along.
The move comes as the Senate Committee on Transportation, Technology and Missing Children gave its approval Monday to continuing the state Department of Transportation. Without legislative approval, the agency, which is responsible for road maintenance and construction, goes away July 1.
But the vote to continue the agency came only after GOP lawmakers added a series of conditions and restrictions. And one of them spells out that ADOT cannot accept any grants, donations, aid or other federal funds to operate or maintain a commuter rail.
“This is something out there that the people do not want,” said Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek. He said it amounts to the state promoting 100-year-old technology.
Killing the idea of commuter rail between Phoenix and Tucson before it’s even gotten off the ground is only one of the policy issues that Republicans stuffed into Senate Bill 1184. Other conditions they added to the legislation include: