Another of Gov. Rick Perry’s emergency items is on the fast track to becoming law. The full Senate will soon consider a bill regarding eminent domain, after the Senate State Affairs Committee unanimously voted for the legislation 6-0.

Senate Bill 18 is the result of a efforts at the Capitol six years and running. Lawmakers worked to pass similar bills in the last three sessions to fix problems in the state’s eminent domain law.

The main problem – landowners losing their property for the wrong reasons. This bill, which has wide support from several ranch and farm groups, not to mention local governments and utilities among others, is nearly identical to the bill the Senate passed in the last session. However, it ultimately died in the House.

The legislation aims to keep any group – private or public – from taking property through the eminent domain law, if that land is not meant for public use. There are other stipulations for the intended buyer and enhanced rights for property owners under the bill.

It is expected to once again pass through the Senate. This would be the second of Perry’s emergency items (those lawmakers are allowed to push through in the first 60 days of the session) to do so. Senators approved a Voter ID bill last week.