By: Armbrister S.C.R. No. 25 97S0360/1 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-1 WHEREAS, The success of the Texas shipping industry depends 1-2 on efficient transportation systems for the prompt delivery of 1-3 goods, yet state government has lagged behind the private sector in 1-4 the development of promising technologies that have enormous 1-5 potential to improve existing systems; and 1-6 WHEREAS, Urban growth and increased traffic as a result of 1-7 the North American Free Trade Agreement have strained the capacity 1-8 of our state highway system and have led to transportation delays 1-9 that hinder the development of international trade, drive up the 1-10 price of consumer goods, and cost businesses $40 billion annually; 1-11 and 1-12 WHEREAS, New technologies, such as the use of transponders in 1-13 the trucking industry to electronically verify weights and permits, 1-14 have streamlined transportation flows and improved overall traffic 1-15 safety and efficiency; and 1-16 WHEREAS, According to the Texas comptroller's performance 1-17 review of Texas state government, Disturbing the Peace, successful 1-18 partnerships between state and local government and the private 1-19 sector have spurred the development of transportation technology in 1-20 Texas and other states and are essential in an era of federal 1-21 budget cuts that limit the state's ability to meet existing 1-22 transportation demands; and 1-23 WHEREAS, Texas ranks among the nation's leaders in economic 1-24 growth and international trade, and the enhancement of our state's 2-1 transportation infrastructure should be a top priority with 2-2 government officials, transportation planners, and business 2-3 leaders; and 2-4 WHEREAS, The responsibility for our state's transportation 2-5 infrastructure resides with the Texas Department of Transportation 2-6 and, as such, the department plays a pivotal role in the formation 2-7 of public and private partnerships and the prudent investment of 2-8 state transportation funds; now, therefore, be it 2-9 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 2-10 hereby encourage the Texas Department of Transportation to build 2-11 partnerships with the Texas Department of Public Safety, federal 2-12 and local governments, private sector organizations, and other 2-13 states to strategically apply technological advancements to our 2-14 state's transportation infrastructure; and, be it further 2-15 RESOLVED, That the department ensure, where possible, that 2-16 intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and automated vehicle 2-17 regulation are compatible with advancements in private sector 2-18 logistics; and, be it further 2-19 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 2-20 copy of this resolution to the commissioner of the Texas Department 2-21 of Transportation.