By:  Nixon                                   S.B. No. 1708

         97S0267/1                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the application of axle weight limitations to vehicles

 1-2     carrying certain commodities.

 1-3           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-4           SECTION 1.  Subchapter Z, Chapter 622, Transportation Code,

 1-5     is amended by adding Section 622.954 to read as follows:

 1-6           Sec. 622.954.  VEHICLES TRANSPORTING UNPROCESSED COMMODITIES.

 1-7     The weight limitations of Section 621.101 do not apply to a vehicle

 1-8     loaded with an agricultural or a forestry commodity prior to the

 1-9     processing of the commodity.

1-10           (b)  A vehicle to which this section applies may not be

1-11     operated on the national system of interstate and defense highways

1-12     if the vehicle exceeds the maximum weight authorized by 23 U.S.C.

1-13     Section 127.

1-14           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-15           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-16     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-17     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-18     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-19     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.