STUDY HIGH SPEED PASSENGER RAIL

SB 479 appropriates $200,000 from New Mexico's general fund to the Department of Transportation for a feasibility study on building a high-speed passenger rail system within the state. The study, to be completed in fiscal year 2026, will assess whether constructing such a rail line is practical and cost-effective. This bill directly affects the Department of Transportation, which will conduct the analysis, and indirectly impacts New Mexico residents who may benefit from future transportation options. The legislation does not authorize actual rail construction, only a preliminary assessment of its feasibility.