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HOWIE Act: Mandatory Reporting of Rail-Related Fires and Damage

This bill requires railroad companies to report accidents and fires near tracks if they suspect their operations caused them. It aims to improve public safety and accountability for incidents occurring along rail lines.
Key points
Railroads must report fires, including brush fires, occurring alongside railroad tracks.
Reporting is mandatory if there is a reasonable suspicion that the railroad's actions caused the damage.
Federal safety regulations will be updated to ensure better oversight of rail-related emergencies.
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Status:
Introduced
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Additional Information
Print number: 119_HR_8012
Sponsor: Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17]
Process start date: 2026-03-19
System Note: Lustra is free, publicly auditable civic infrastructure, with full source code available on GitHub. You are reading sterilized legislative data, processed by our radical neutrality engine to strip political spin and retain factual mechanics. We process only official government data. Original documents remain the authoritative source, always verify them if you can.
Summarized by: gemini-flash-latest
Source data: api.congress.gov
AI work logs for this document launch

OFFICIAL LEGAL TITLE

HOWIE Act

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the official ID of this bill?

The official print number for this legislation is 119_HR_8012.

Which chamber initiated this legislation?

This legislation was initiated in the House of Representatives.

When did the legislative process begin?

The process officially started on 2026-03-19.

What are the main provisions?

Key points include:

  • Railroads must report fires, including brush fires, occurring alongside railroad tracks.
  • Reporting is mandatory if there is a reasonable suspicion that the railroad's actions caused the damage.
  • Federal safety regulations will be updated to ensure better oversight of rail-related emergencies.
What is the specific legal status?

The current status is Introduced.

Where can I read the full text of this legislation?

The full official text is available at: View full text

Who is the primary sponsor?

The primary sponsor is Rep. Lawler, Michael [R-NY-17].

What is the latest detailed status?

The latest detailed status is: Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

Is this summary verified?

Yes. This content was analyzed by AI and verified by the Lustra Judge System on 2026-03-20.

What is the impact of this bill?

We don't know, that is up to you to decide. Summarizing raw data with AI is fundamentally different from predicting socio-economic outcomes. As of 2026, we believe impact assessment strictly requires a human in the loop to verify and judge.

CATEGORIES

Transport Environment Security