SRC-TNM S.C.R. 24 75(R)   BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research Center   S.C.R. 24
By: Truan
International Relations, Trade & Technology
2-27-97
As Filed


DIGEST 

Currently, a state may impose more stringent safety and environmental
regulations on commercial vehicles using their roadways.  However, such
regulations must be "imposed in an equitable and nondiscriminatory manner"
on all domestic and foreign vehicles.  The goal is to establish a uniform
system of registration and licensing for all carriers to eliminate
confusion and layers of red tape.   

The 74th Texas Legislature passed several laws requiring Mexican carriers
doing business beyond the border commercial zones to meet the same safety
and insurance requirements as U.S. and Canadian truckers.  These bills
also made Texas truck regulations consistent with the provisions of the
North American Free Trade Agreement.   

Presently, U.S. and Mexican government officials continue to negotiate the
opening of U.S. border states to Mexican trucks and to address concerns
regarding Mexican truck safety.  A continued project conducted in the
U.S., Canada, and Mexico aspires to standardize commercial vehicle and
operator standards.  The task of finding common definitions and compatible
regulations has been allocated to the Land Transportation Standard
Subcommittee.  The goal of S.C.R. 24 is to ensure that due consideration
and protection are given to Texas' current standards regarding overweight
trucks and their impact on Texas roads during federal discussions on
weight lengths and standards.     

PURPOSE

As proposed, S.C.R. 24 submits the following resolutions:

To direct the Texas Department of Transportation to monitor national-level
discussions addressing truck weight and length standards adopted pursuant
to the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). 

To provide that the Texas Department of Transportation should resist
current efforts to influence the NAFTA Land Transportation Subcommittee to
permit overweight trucks and multiple trailers on U.S. highways, and that
Texas' current standards should be honored and continued in order to
protect the safety of our state's citizens and the integrity of the public
investment in highway and bridge infrastructure. 

To forward an official copy of this resolution to the executive director
of the Texas Department of Transportation.