HOWIE Act

Key Points

• The HOWIE Act would require the Department of Transportation to create new rules for railroad companies. Under these rules, railroads must report any accidents or damage they think they might have caused.
• This bill specifically targets fires that start along the tracks, like brush fires. Currently, railroads might not have to report these if they aren't sure they started them, but this law would require a report if there is a 'reasonable suspicion' that their equipment or actions were the cause.
• The goal is to help the government keep better track of infrastructure problems and prevent emergencies before they get worse. By making railroads speak up sooner, officials can identify dangerous patterns or equipment issues that could lead to larger disasters.

Impact Analysis

Govbase has not yet run an impact analysis on this legislation.