By Truan S.B. No. 1513 75R8953 DRH-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to highway route designations for non-radioactive 1-3 hazardous materials. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Article 6675d, Revised Statutes, is amended by 1-6 adding Section 3A to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 3A. ROUTING OF NON-RADIOACTIVE HAZARDOUS MATERIALS. 1-8 (a) The Texas Transportation Commission shall adopt rules for the 1-9 routing of non-radioactive hazardous materials that are at least as 1-10 stringent as the requirements of 49 C.F.R. Part 397. The Texas 1-11 Transportation Commission may adopt, consistent with federal law, 1-12 rules that impose more stringent requirements for the routing than 1-13 federal regulations. 1-14 (b) A political subdivision of the state or a state agency 1-15 may designate a route for the transportation of non-radioactive 1-16 hazardous materials over any public road or highway in this state 1-17 only if the Texas Department of Transportation approves the route. 1-18 (c) The Texas Transportation Commission may designate a 1-19 route for the transportation of non-radioactive hazardous materials 1-20 over any public road or highway in this state. The designation may 1-21 include a road or highway that is not part of the state highway 1-22 system only if: 1-23 (1) after consultation with the commission, the 1-24 governing body of the political subdivision that maintains the road 2-1 or highway fails to provide a route that is acceptable to the 2-2 commission; and 2-3 (2) the commission determines there is a need for the 2-4 route. 2-5 (d) The department shall provide signs for a designated 2-6 route under Subsection (c) of this section over a road or highway 2-7 that is not part of the state highway system. Notwithstanding 2-8 Section 222.001, Transportation Code, the department may use funds 2-9 from the state highway fund to pay for the signs. The political 2-10 subdivision that maintains the road or highway shall bear the costs 2-11 for installation and maintenance of the signs. 2-12 SECTION 2. Before the effective date of Section 3A, Article 2-13 6675d, Revised Statutes, as added by this Act, the Department of 2-14 Public Safety and the Texas Department of Transportation shall 2-15 enter a memorandum of understanding for the transition of the 2-16 authority for designating routes for the transportation of 2-17 non-radioactive hazardous materials. 2-18 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately, except Section 2-19 1, which takes effect January 1, 1998. 2-20 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 2-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 2-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 2-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-24 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended, 2-25 and that this Act take effect and be in force according to its 2-26 terms, and it is so enacted.