1-1     By:  McReynolds, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Ratliff)    H.B. No. 2469

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House May 5, 1997;

 1-3     May 6, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on State

 1-4     Affairs; May 16, 1997, reported favorably by the following vote:

 1-5     Yeas 13, Nays 0; May 16, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the operation of vehicles transporting timber or timber

 1-9     products and to the operation of vehicles transporting poles or

1-10     pipe.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 622, Transportation Code,

1-13     is amended by adding Section 622.0435 to read as follows:

1-14           Sec. 622.0435.  VEHICLES TRANSPORTING RAW WOOD PRODUCTS.  (a)

1-15     The width, height, and gross weight of a vehicle or combination of

1-16     vehicles subject to this subchapter that is transporting raw wood

1-17     products shall conform to Chapters 621 and 623, except that when it

1-18     is necessary to transport the load, the distance between axles on a

1-19     vehicle may be shortened by not more than 12 feet for gross weight

1-20     determinations.

1-21           (b)  Notwithstanding any other provision of law, Subsection

1-22     (a) does not authorize the operation of a vehicle or combination of

1-23     vehicles subject to this subchapter that is transporting raw wood

1-24     products on a bridge with a load limitation at a weight that

1-25     exceeds that limitation.

1-26           SECTION 2.  Section 622.062(b), Transportation Code, is

1-27     amended to read as follows:

1-28           (b)  A strobe light or red flag or cloth not less than 12

1-29     inches square must be displayed at the rear of the load carried on

1-30     the vehicle so that the light or the entire area of the flag or

1-31     cloth is visible to the driver of a vehicle approaching from the

1-32     rear.

1-33           SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-34           SECTION 4.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-35     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-36     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-37     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-38     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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