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SCR8 • 2026

Urge Congress pass Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act

Urge Congress pass Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor
Casey Weinstein
Last action
Official status
As Introduced
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Urge Congress pass Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act

To urge the Congress of the United States to pass H.R.

What This Bill Does

  • To urge the Congress of the United States to pass H.R.
  • 971, known as The Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. Ohio Legislature

    As Introduced

Official Summary Text

To urge the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 971, known as The Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
S. C. R. No. 8

2025-2026

Senators
Weinstein, Cutrona

Cosponsors:
Senators Antonio, Ingram, Craig, Smith

A
c o n c u r r e n t R E S O L U T I O N

To
urge the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 971, known as The
Reducing Accidents in Locomotives (RAIL) Act.

BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

WHEREAS,
In 2023, East Palestine, Ohio, experienced a devastating train
derailment that contaminated the area's air, soil, and water with
toxic chemicals; and

WHEREAS,
The residents of East Palestine are still experiencing the effects of
the derailment and the chemical contamination resulting from it; and

WHEREAS,
More than 12,000 cities, towns, and villages in the United States
have rail tracks running through their boundaries and, since 2020,
more than 4,000 trains have derailed in the United States; and

WHEREAS,
Following the train derailment, Ohio's U.S. Senators and members of
the U.S. House of Representatives introduced bipartisan rail safety
bills that failed to become law. One of those bills was entitled the
RAIL Act; and

WHEREAS,
The RAIL Act was recently reintroduced in Congress. The RAIL Act will
increase inspections on all trains, strengthen safety placard
requirements that assist emergency responders in identifying
hazardous materials, and increase maximum penalties for violations of
rail safety regulations; and

WHEREAS,
The RAIL Act will direct the Secretary of Transportation to
promulgate new regulations to improve rail safety based on the
findings of an investigation conducted by the National Transportation
Safety Board and the Federal Railroad Administration; and

WHEREAS,
The RAIL Act will require a minimum of two-person crews for all Class
I freight and passenger trains; and now therefore be it

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, urge the Congress of the United States to pass H.R. 971,
otherwise known as The RAIL Act, to ensure the safety of American
families and prevent future tragedies; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly authenticated copies of
this resolution to the President Pro Tempore and Secretary of the
United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States
House of Representatives, the members of the Ohio Congressional
delegation, and the news media of Ohio.