BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1547
                                            By: Swinford (Bivins)
                                                    State Affairs
                                                          5-22-95
                                Senate Committee Report (Amended)
BACKGROUND

Current law allows commercial motor vehicles carrying agricultural
commodities to obtain a permit for excess gross or axle weight. 
The permit authorizes the operation of the vehicle at a weight that
exceeds the allowable axle weight by a tolerance allowance of 10
percent and exceeds the allowable gross weight by a tolerance of
five percent.  This agricultural permit is good for loads of up to
84,000 pounds.  However, the Texas Department of Transportation
determines the overall allowed weight of the vehicle based upon the
weight of the front axle alone.  Thus, if a vehicle is only
carrying 10,000 pounds on the front axle, the total weight may not
exceed 80,000 pounds instead of the 84,000 pounds for which the
vehicle has a permit.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1547 authorizes a vehicle to exceed the allowable
gross weight by the five percent tolerance allowance regardless of
the weight of any one axle.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 5B(b), Article 6701d-11, V.T.C.S., to
authorize a vehicle operating under a permit to authorize a
commercial motor vehicle carrying agricultural commodities to
exceed the allowable gross weight by the entire five percent
tolerance allowance regardless of the weight of any one axle or
tandem axle or distance between axles, if no axle or tandem axle
exceeds the tolerance permitted by this subsection.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 5, Article 6701d-12, V.T.C.S., to
redefine "vehicles used exclusively to transport ready-mixed
concrete."

SECTION 3. Amends Section 2, Article 6701d-13, V.T.C.S., to make
a conforming change.

SECTION 4. Amends Section 2, Article 6701d-17, V.T.C.S., to make
a conforming change.

SECTION 5. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 6. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 7. Emergency clause.