Hicks-Hudson Issues Statement on Select Committee on Rail Safety Final Report

Today, state Senator Paula Hicks-Hudson (D-Toledo) issued the following statement after members of the Ohio Senate Select Committee on Rail Safety unanimously approved its final report.

“The changes made today to our final report strengthen our commitment to helping the residents of East Palestine in the long-term recovery from this tragic incident,” said Hicks-Hudson. “This report will also help all Ohioans by improving safety at railroad crossings and the environment near rail lines statewide.”

The Select Committee on Rail Safety was constituted in response to the East Palestine Train Derailment in February. Included in their report are recommendations that the United States Congress pass the Railway Safety Act of 2023, additional resources be provided for training for volunteer fire and EMS personnel, and continued long-term testing of soil and water be conducted at and near the derailment in East Palestine for a period of at least 20 years, among others.