HBA-PDH H.B. 1680 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1680
By: Uher
Transportation
4/1/1999
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current state law authorizes the Texas Department of Transportation
(department) to issue a permit that allows a vehicle to operate with a
gross weight or axle weight (weight) that exceeds the allowable weight for
the vehicle by five percent gross and ten percent axle.  Studies have shown
that heavy trucks cause damage to public roadways.  Some believe that
vehicles operating with a permit allowing a truck to operate at an
increased load will cause even more rapid deterioration of and destruction
to the public roadways. 

H.B. 1680 prohibits a vehicle issued a permit under this section from
operating on a bridge posted with a load limit established under in Section
621.102 (Commission's Authority to Set Maximum Weights) or Section 621.301
(County's Authority to Set Maximum Weights), Transportation Code, if the
gross or axle weight of the vehicle exceeds the posted limit. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 623.011(c), Transportation Code, to provide that
a permit issued under this section does not authorize the operation of a
vehicle on the national system of interstate and defense highways in this
state if the weight of the vehicle is greater than authorized by federal
law; or a bridge or culvert for which the maximum weight and load limit
have been established and posted by the Texas Transportation Commission
(commission) under Section 621.102 (Commission's Authority to Set Maximum
Weights), Transportation Code, or the commissioner's court of a county
under Section 621.301 (County's Authority to Set Maximum Weights),
Transportation Code, if the gross weight of the vehicle and load or the
axles and wheel loads are greater than the limits established and posted
under those sections. 

SECTION 2.Emergency clause.
  Effective date:  90 days after adjournment.