HBA-ATS S.B. 934 76(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 934
By: Lucio
Transportation
4/25/1999
Engrossed



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

For a fee, Texas law allows overweight trucks to transport cargo from the
Gateway International Bridge in Brownsville to the Port of Brownsville.
The fee is used in part for repair and maintenance of the state roads used
to transport this cargo.  Use of the completed Veterans International
Bridge by overweight trucks may alleviate much of the current truck traffic
until a direct port link is completed. 

S.B. 934 includes State Highways 48 and 4 between the Gateway International
Bridge and the entrance to the Port of Brownsville, or over State Highways
48 and 4 and United States Highways 77 and 83 between Veterans
International Bridge at Los Tomates and the entrance to the Port of
Brownsville, as routes over which cargo may be transported with a permit.
In addition, this bill increases from 10 to 15 the maximum percentage of
fees collected under Section 623.214(a) (Permit Fees) that is subtracted as
administrative costs from those collected fees. 

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 623.214(b), Transportation Code, to increase
from 10 to 15 the maximum percentage of fees collected under Section
623.214(a) (Permit Fees) that is subtracted as administrative costs from
those collected fees. 

SECTION 2.  Amends Section 623.215(a), Transportation Code, to include
State Highways 48 and 4 between the Gateway International Bridge and the
entrance to the Port of Brownsville, or over State Highways 48 and 4 and
United States Highways 77 and 83 between Veterans International Bridge at
Los Tomates and the entrance to the Port of Brownsville, as routes over
which cargo being transported must be described in a permit issued under
this subchapter.  Specifies that from the Gateway International Bridge or
the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates to the entrance of the
Port of Brownsville using State Highways  48 and 4 or United States
Highways 77 and 83 are the starting and ending points of the most direct
route over which cargo being transported must be described in a permit
issued under this subchapter. 

SECTION 3.  Amends Section 623.219, Transportation Code, to establish March
1, 2005, rather than 2001, as the expiration date of "this Act." 

SECTION 4.Emergency clause.
  Effective date: upon passage.