1-1 By: Armbrister S.C.R. No. 25 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed February 12, 1997; February 18, 1997, 1-3 read first time and referred to Committee on International 1-4 Relations, Trade, and Technology; March 6, 1997, reported favorably 1-5 by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 6, 1997, sent to 1-6 printer.) 1-7 SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 1-8 WHEREAS, The success of the Texas shipping industry depends 1-9 on efficient transportation systems for the prompt delivery of 1-10 goods, yet state government has lagged behind the private sector in 1-11 the development of promising technologies that have enormous 1-12 potential to improve existing systems; and 1-13 WHEREAS, Urban growth and increased traffic as a result of 1-14 the North American Free Trade Agreement have strained the capacity 1-15 of our state highway system and have led to transportation delays 1-16 that hinder the development of international trade, drive up the 1-17 price of consumer goods, and cost businesses $40 billion annually; 1-18 and 1-19 WHEREAS, New technologies, such as the use of transponders in 1-20 the trucking industry to electronically verify weights and permits, 1-21 have streamlined transportation flows and improved overall traffic 1-22 safety and efficiency; and 1-23 WHEREAS, According to the Texas comptroller's performance 1-24 review of Texas state government, Disturbing the Peace, successful 1-25 partnerships between state and local government and the private 1-26 sector have spurred the development of transportation technology in 1-27 Texas and other states and are essential in an era of federal 1-28 budget cuts that limit the state's ability to meet existing 1-29 transportation demands; and 1-30 WHEREAS, Texas ranks among the nation's leaders in economic 1-31 growth and international trade, and the enhancement of our state's 1-32 transportation infrastructure should be a top priority with 1-33 government officials, transportation planners, and business 1-34 leaders; and 1-35 WHEREAS, The responsibility for our state's transportation 1-36 infrastructure resides with the Texas Department of Transportation 1-37 and, as such, the department plays a pivotal role in the formation 1-38 of public and private partnerships and the prudent investment of 1-39 state transportation funds; now, therefore, be it 1-40 RESOLVED, That the 75th Legislature of the State of Texas 1-41 hereby encourage the Texas Department of Transportation to build 1-42 partnerships with the Texas Department of Public Safety, federal 1-43 and local governments, private sector organizations, and other 1-44 states to strategically apply technological advancements to our 1-45 state's transportation infrastructure; and, be it further 1-46 RESOLVED, That the department ensure, where possible, that 1-47 intelligent transportation systems (ITS) and automated vehicle 1-48 regulation are compatible with advancements in private sector 1-49 logistics; and, be it further 1-50 RESOLVED, That the secretary of state forward an official 1-51 copy of this resolution to the commissioner of the Texas Department 1-52 of Transportation. 1-53 * * * * *