Bill not drafted by TLC or Senate E&E. Line and page numbers may not match official copy. By Oliveira H.B. No. 2781 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to permits for overweight vehicles in certain counties. 1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-4 SECTION 1. Chapter 623, Transportation Code is amended by 1-5 adding Subchapter K to read as follows: 1-6 SUBCHAPTER K. PORT AUTHORITY PERMITS 1-7 Sec. 623.210. OPTIONAL PROCEDURE. This subchapter provides 1-8 an optional procedure for the issuance of a permit for the movement 1-9 of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on state, county, 1-10 or municipal roads located in counties that have a boundary that is 1-11 contiguous to the Republic of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. 1-12 Sec. 623.211. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "port 1-13 authority" means a port authority created or operating under 1-14 Article III, Section 52, or Article XVI, Section 59, of the Texas 1-15 Constitution. 1-16 Sec. 623.212. PERMITS BY PORT AUTHORITY. The department may 1-17 authorize a port authority to issue permits for the movement of 1-18 oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on state, county, or 1-19 municipal roads located in counties that have a boundary that is 1-20 contiguous to the Republic of Mexico and the Gulf of Mexico. 1-21 Sec. 623.213. MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS. A port authority 1-22 issuing permits under this subchapter shall contract with the 1-23 appropriate state agency, political subdivision, or road district 1-24 for the maintenance of roads and bridges subject to this 2-1 subchapter. 2-2 Sec. 623.214. PERMIT FEES. (a) A port authority may 2-3 collect a fee for permits issued under this subchapter. 2-4 (b) A fee collected under Subsection (a) shall be used for 2-5 the maintenance of roads and bridges pursuant to maintenance 2-6 contracts created under Section 623.213. 2-7 Sec. 623.215. PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. (a) A permit issued 2-8 under this subchapter must include: 2-9 (1) the name of the applicant; 2-10 (2) the date of issuance; 2-11 (3) the signature of the director of the port 2-12 authority; 2-13 (4) a statement of the kind of cargo being transported 2-14 over the state, county, or municipal road, the maximum weight and 2-15 dimensions of the equipment, and the kind and weight of each 2-16 commodity to be transported; 2-17 (5) a statement of any condition on which the permit 2-18 is issued; 2-19 (6) a statement of each state, county, or municipal 2-20 road and bridge, and the distance over which the cargo is to be 2-21 transported. 2-22 (b) A port authority shall report to the department all 2-23 permits issued under this subchapter. 2-24 Sec. 623.216. TIME OF MOVEMENT. A permit issued under this 2-25 subchapter shall specify the time in which movement authorized by 2-26 the permit is allowed. 2-27 Sec. 623.217. SPEED LIMIT. Movement authorized by a permit 2-28 issued under this subchapter shall not exceed the posted speed 2-29 limit or 55 miles per hour, whichever is less. 2-30 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 3-1 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-2 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-3 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-4 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-5 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.