For certain public passenger rail services, liability is capped at $125 million, and the authority must obtain insurance with the railroad as a named insured.
Sec. 460.1041. LIABILITY LIMITED FOR RAIL SERVICES UNDER CERTAIN AGREEMENTS. (a) This section applies only to public passenger rail services provided: (1) under an agreement between an authority created before January 1, 2005, and a railroad for the provision of public passenger rail services through the use of the railroad's facilities; and (2) on freight rail lines and rail rights-of-way that are: (A) located in the Interstate 35W/Interstate 35 corridor; or (B) a northern extension of existing passenger rail service provided by the authority in the Interstate 35E corridor. (b) The aggregate liability of an authority and a railroad that enter into an agreement to provide public passenger rail services, and the governing boards, directors, officers, employees, and agents of the authority and railroad, may not exceed $125 million for all claims for damages arising from a single incident involving the provision of public passenger rail services under the agreement. (c) Subsection (b) does not affect: (1) the amount of damages that may be recovered under Subchapter D, Chapter 112, or the federal Employers' Liability Act (45 U.S.C. Section 51 et seq.); or (2) any immunity, limitation on damages, limitation on actions, or other limitation of liability or protections applicable under other law to an authority or other provider of public passenger rail services. (d) The limitation of liability provided by this section does not apply to damages arising from the wilful misconduct or gross negligence of the railroad. (e) An authority shall obtain or cause to be obtained insurance coverage for the aggregate liability stated in Subsection (b) with the railroad as a named insured. Added by Acts 2015, 84th Leg., R.S., Ch. 114 (S.B. 678), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2015.