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H.R.1585 / 112th Congress

State Highway Flexibility Act

Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

Official summary

Version 00 · Introduced in House · Apr 15, 2011

State Highway Flexibility Act - Allows a state to elect not to participate in the federal-aid highway program, including any federal highway program under the Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU).

Directs the Secretary of Transportation (DOT), beginning in FY2011, to carry out a direct federal-aid highway program to permit a state governor or chief executive officer, at least 90 days before the beginning of a fiscal year, to elect to: (1) waive the state's right to receive apportioned or allocated funds under the federal-aid highway program, and (2) receive instead a prorated amount of taxes appropriated to the Highway Trust Fund (other than for the Mass Transit Account) which are attributable to highway users in the state. Requires a pro rata reduction of such tax-equivalent amount in order to fund contract authority for programs of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).

Requires the state governor or chief executive officer making an election to: (1) agree to maintain the Interstate System in accordance with its current Interstate System program; (2) submit a plan describing the purposes, projects, and uses to which such amounts will be put and the federal-aid highway programmatic requirements the state elects to continue; and (3) agree to obligate program amounts exclusively for projects that would be eligible for surface transportation program funding.

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Directs the Secretary to carry out a similar alternative funding program for public transportation programs.

Read the summary on Congress.gov
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Who introduced it

Rep. Lankford, James [R-OK-5] · R–OK

Committees

  • Transportation and Infrastructure Committee
31 cosponsorship records, including any withdrawals

Actions

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  1. Referred to the Subcommittee on Highways and Transit.

  2. Referred to the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

  3. Introduced in House

  4. Introduced in House

Bill text & related measures

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Related bills identified by Congress.gov

Source last updated: Aug 14, 2025. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.

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Objective

Analyze H.R.1585 as objectively as possible. Explain its main provisions, who would be affected, possible benefits and harms, implementation, exceptions, and uncertainties. Present the strongest arguments for and against it, and identify evidence needed to assess its public impact.

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