By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1809
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the issuance of permits for the operation of oversize
1-3 and overweight vehicles on certain highways by the City of Laredo
1-4 and by the City of El Paso; providing penalties.
1-5 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-6 SECTION 1. Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by
1-7 adding Subchapter L to read as follows:
1-8 SUBCHAPTER L. CITY OF LAREDO PERMITS
1-9 Sec. 623.251. PERMITS BY CITY OF LAREDO. (a) The
1-10 department may authorize the City of Laredo to issue permits for
1-11 the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on
1-12 Farm-to-Market Road 1472 and the Bob Bullock Loop (Loop 20) from
1-13 Columbia Solidarity Bridge and the World Trade Bridge to Interstate
1-14 Highway 35.
1-15 (b) The department may not authorize the issuance of a
1-16 permit for the movement of equipment and commodities with a gross
1-17 weight of more than 125,000 pounds.
1-18 (c) A permit issued under this section:
1-19 (1) must be carried in the vehicle for which it is
1-20 issued; and
1-21 (2) does not authorize the operation on the national
1-22 system of interstate and defense highways in this state of vehicles
1-23 with a weight greater than that authorized by federal law.
1-24 Sec. 623.252. MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS. The City of Laredo
1-25 when issuing permits under this subchapter shall make payments to
2-1 the department to provide for the maintenance of the state highways
2-2 subject to this subchapter in accordance with Section 623.253.
2-3 Sec. 623.253. PERMIT FEES. The amount of the fee for a
2-4 permit issued under this subchapter is the fee otherwise required
2-5 for a permit issued by the department under this chapter for the
2-6 oversize or overweight vehicle. Of each fee collected for the
2-7 issuance of a permit under this subchapter, the City of Laredo:
2-8 (1) may retain 15 percent to defray administrative
2-9 expenses; and
2-10 (2) shall send the remainder to the department for
2-11 deposit to the credit of the state highway fund for the maintenance
2-12 of the state highways subject to this subchapter.
2-13 Sec. 623.254. PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. (a) A permit issued
2-14 under this subchapter must include:
2-15 (1) the name of the applicant;
2-16 (2) the date of issuance;
2-17 (3) the signature of the officer or employee of the
2-18 City of Laredo authorized to approve the issuance of the permit;
2-19 (4) a statement of the kind of cargo being transported
2-20 over the roadway designated in the permit, the maximum weight and
2-21 dimensions of the equipment, and the kind and weight of each
2-22 commodity to be transported;
2-23 (5) a statement of any condition on which the permit
2-24 is issued;
2-25 (6) a statement that the cargo shall be transported
2-26 over the most direct route from the Columbia Solidarity Bridge or
3-1 the World Trade Bridge and Interstate Highway 35;
3-2 (7) the name of the driver of the vehicle in which the
3-3 cargo is to be transported; and
3-4 (8) the location where the cargo was loaded.
3-5 (b) The City of Laredo shall report to the department all
3-6 permits issued under this subchapter.
3-7 Sec. 623.255. TIME OF MOVEMENT. A permit issued under this
3-8 subchapter shall specify the time in which movement authorized by
3-9 the permit is allowed.
3-10 Sec. 623.256. SPEED LIMIT. Movement authorized by a permit
3-11 issued under this subchapter may not exceed the lesser of the
3-12 posted speed limit or 55 miles per hour. An offense under this
3-13 section is a Class C misdemeanor and a moving violation.
3-14 Sec. 623.257. ENFORCEMENT. The Department of Public Safety
3-15 may enforce this subchapter.
3-16 Sec. 623.258. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires March 1,
3-17 2005.
3-18 SECTION 2. Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by
3-19 adding Subchapter M to read as follows:
3-20 SUBCHAPTER M. CITY OF EL PASO PERMITS
3-21 Sec. 623.301. PERMITS BY CITY OF EL PASO. (a) The
3-22 department may authorize the City of El Paso to issue permits for
3-23 the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo
3-24 between any of the following international bridges, ports of entry,
3-25 and state highways and Interstate Highway 10:
3-26 (1) Bridge of the Americas Port of Entry;
4-1 (2) Zaragosa Port of Entry;
4-2 (3) Loop 375;
4-3 (4) Border Highway; and
4-4 (5) Fabens Port of Entry.
4-5 (b) The department may not authorize the issuance of a
4-6 permit for the movement of equipment and commodities with a gross
4-7 weight of more than 120,000 pounds.
4-8 Sec. 623.302. USE OF PERMIT FEES. If the City of El Paso
4-9 issues permits under this subchapter, permit fees collected under
4-10 this subchapter may be used only by the City of El Paso to fund the
4-11 maintenance of the state highways subject to this subchapter.
4-12 Sec. 623.303. FEES FOR PERMITS. The amount of the fee for a
4-13 permit issued under this subchapter is the fee otherwise required
4-14 for a permit issued by the department under this chapter for the
4-15 oversize or overweight vehicle. The City of El Paso may not
4-16 collect an extra fee for issuing a permit under this subchapter.
4-17 Sec. 623.304. PERMIT REQUIREMENTS. (a) A permit issued
4-18 under this subchapter must include:
4-19 (1) the name of the applicant;
4-20 (2) the date of issuance;
4-21 (3) the signature of the officer or employee of the
4-22 City of El Paso authorized to approve the issuance of the permit;
4-23 (4) a statement of the kind of cargo being transported
4-24 over the roadway designated in the permit, the maximum weight and
4-25 dimensions of the equipment, and the kind and weight of each
4-26 commodity to be transported;
5-1 (5) a statement of any condition on which the permit
5-2 is issued;
5-3 (6) a statement that the cargo shall be transported
5-4 over the most direct route from the applicable port of entry to
5-5 Interstate Highway 10;
5-6 (7) the name of the driver of the vehicle in which the
5-7 cargo is to be transported; and
5-8 (8) the location where the cargo was loaded.
5-9 (b) The City of El Paso shall report to the department all
5-10 permits issued under this subchapter.
5-11 Sec. 623.305. TIME OF MOVEMENT. A permit issued under this
5-12 subchapter shall specify the time in which movement authorized by
5-13 the permit is allowed.
5-14 Sec. 623.306. SPEED LIMIT. Movement authorized by a permit
5-15 issued under this subchapter may not exceed the lesser of the
5-16 posted speed limit or 55 miles per hour. An offense under this
5-17 section is a Class C misdemeanor and a moving violation.
5-18 Sec. 623.307. ENFORCEMENT. The Department of Public Safety
5-19 may enforce this subchapter.
5-20 Sec. 623.308. EXPIRATION. This subchapter expires March 1,
5-21 2005.
5-22 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.