By: Lucio S.B. No. 1276 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT 1-1 relating to permits for overweight vehicles in certain counties. 1-2 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-3 SECTION 1. Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by 1-4 adding Subchapter K to read as follows: 1-5 SUBCHAPTER K. PORT AUTHORITY PERMITS 1-6 Sec. 623.210. OPTIONAL PROCEDURE. This subchapter provides 1-7 an optional procedure for the issuance of a permit for the movement 1-8 of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on state highways 1-9 located in counties contiguous to the Gulf of Mexico or a bay or 1-10 inlet opening into the gulf and bordering the United Mexican 1-11 States. 1-12 Sec. 623.211. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "port 1-13 authority" means a port authority created or operating under 1-14 Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, Article XVI, 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 highways 1-19 located in counties contiguous to the Gulf of Mexico or a bay or 1-20 inlet opening into the gulf and bordering the United Mexican 1-21 States. 1-22 Sec. 623.213. MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS. A port authority 1-23 issuing permits under this subchapter shall make payments to the 2-1 Texas Department of Transportation to provide funds for the 2-2 maintenance of state highways subject to this subchapter. 2-3 Sec. 623.214. PERMIT FEES. (a) A port authority may 2-4 collect a fee for permits issued under this subchapter. Such fees 2-5 shall not exceed $80. 2-6 (b) Fees collected under Subsection (a) shall be used solely 2-7 to provide funds for the payments provided for under Section 2-8 623.213 less administrative costs which shall not exceed 10 percent 2-9 of the fees collected. Such fees shall be deposited in State 2-10 Highway Fund 6. 2-11 Sec. 623.215. PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. (a) A permit issued 2-12 under this subchapter must include: 2-13 (1) the name of the applicant; 2-14 (2) the date of issuance; 2-15 (3) the signature of the director of the port 2-16 authority; 2-17 (4) a statement of the kind of cargo being transported 2-18 over State Highway 48 between the Gateway International Bridge and 2-19 the entrance to the Port of Brownsville, the maximum weight and 2-20 dimensions of the equipment, and the kind and weight of each 2-21 commodity to be transported provided the gross weight of such 2-22 equipment and commodities shall not exceed 125,000 pounds; 2-23 (5) a statement of any condition on which the permit 2-24 is issued; and 2-25 (6) a statement that the cargo shall be transported 3-1 over the most direct route from the Gateway International Bridge to 3-2 the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using State Highway 48. 3-3 (b) A port authority shall report to the department all 3-4 permits issued under this subchapter. 3-5 Sec. 623.216. TIME OF MOVEMENT. A permit issued under this 3-6 subchapter shall specify the time in which movement authorized by 3-7 the permit is allowed. 3-8 Sec. 623.217. SPEED LIMIT. Movement authorized by a permit 3-9 issued under this subchapter shall not exceed the posted speed 3-10 limit or 55 miles per hour, whichever is less. Violation of this 3-11 provision shall constitute a moving violation. 3-12 Sec. 623.218. ENFORCEMENT. The Department of Public Safety 3-13 shall have authority to enforce the provisions of this subchapter. 3-14 Sec. 623.219. EXPIRATION. This Act expires March 1, 2001. 3-15 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 3-16 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the 3-17 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 3-18 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 3-19 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 3-20 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.