1-1 By: Uher (Senate Sponsor - Cain) H.B. No. 1538
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 22, 1999;
1-3 April 26, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on State
1-4 Affairs; May 14, 1999, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 14, 1999, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the issuance by the Texas Department of Transportation
1-9 of annual permits to move certain superheavy or oversize equipment
1-10 on a state highway.
1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-12 SECTION 1. Sections 623.071(d)-(g), Transportation Code, are
1-13 amended to read as follows:
1-14 (d) The department may issue an annual permit to a motor
1-15 carrier, as defined by Section 643.001, that allows the motor
1-16 carrier to operate on a state highway two or more vehicles for the
1-17 movement of superheavy or oversize equipment described by
1-18 Subsection (c)(3). An application under this subsection must be on
1-19 the form prescribed by the department and include a description of
1-20 each vehicle to be operated by the motor carrier under the permit.
1-21 A permit issued under this subsection:
1-22 (1) may not authorize the operation of more than one
1-23 vehicle at the same time; and
1-24 (2) must be carried in the vehicle that is being
1-25 operated to move the superheavy or oversize equipment under the
1-26 permit.
1-27 (e) The department may not issue a permit under this section
1-28 unless the equipment may be operated without material damage to the
1-29 highway.
1-30 (f) [(e)] In this section, "pipe box" means a container
1-31 specifically constructed to safely transport and handle oilfield
1-32 drill pipe and drill collars.
1-33 (g) [(f)] A single trip permit that increases the height or
1-34 width limits established in Subsection (c)(3)(B)(i) or (ii) may be
1-35 issued by the department and used in conjunction with an annual
1-36 permit issued under Subsection (c).
1-37 [(g) The department shall submit to the lieutenant governor
1-38 and speaker of the house of representatives by December 1 of each
1-39 even-numbered year a report describing the cumulative effects on
1-40 the state highway system, including county roads, of permits issued
1-41 under Subsection (c)(3) during the previous two-year period.]
1-42 SECTION 2. Section 623.076(c), Transportation Code, is
1-43 amended to read as follows:
1-44 (c) An application for a permit under Section 623.071(c)(3)
1-45 or (d) must be accompanied by the permit fee established by the
1-46 commission for the permit, not to exceed $3,500. Of each fee
1-47 collected under this subsection, the department shall send:
1-48 (1) the first $1,000 to the comptroller for deposit to
1-49 the credit of the general revenue fund; and
1-50 (2) any amount in excess of $1,000 to the comptroller
1-51 for deposit to the credit of the state highway fund.
1-52 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999.
1-53 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the
1-54 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-55 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-56 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-57 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
1-58 * * * * *