1-1     By:  Zaffirini                                        S.B. No. 1809
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed April 12, 2001; April 18, 2001, read
 1-3     first time and referred to Committee on State Affairs; May 3, 2001,
 1-4     reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the
 1-5     following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 3, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-6     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1809              By:  Armbrister
 1-7                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-8                                   AN ACT
 1-9     relating to the issuance of permits for the operation of oversize
1-10     and overweight vehicles on certain highways by the City of Laredo;
1-11     providing a penalty.
1-12           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-13           SECTION 1.  Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by
1-14     adding Subchapter L to read as follows:
1-15                    SUBCHAPTER L.  CITY OF LAREDO PERMITS
1-16           Sec. 623.251.  PERMITS BY CITY OF LAREDO.  (a)  The
1-17     department may authorize the City of Laredo to issue permits for
1-18     the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on
1-19     Farm-to-Market Road 1472 and the Bob Bullock Loop (Loop 20) from
1-20     Columbia Solidarity Bridge and the World Trade Bridge to Interstate
1-21     Highway 35.
1-22           (b)  The department may not authorize the issuance of a
1-23     permit for the movement of equipment and commodities with a gross
1-24     weight of more than 125,000 pounds.
1-25           (c)  A permit issued under this section:
1-26                 (1)  must be carried in the vehicle for which it is
1-27     issued; and
1-28                 (2)  does not authorize the operation on the national
1-29     system of interstate and defense highways in this state of vehicles
1-30     with a weight greater than that authorized by federal law.
1-31           Sec. 623.252.  MAINTENANCE CONTRACTS.  The City of Laredo
1-32     when issuing permits under this subchapter shall make payments to
1-33     the department to provide for the maintenance of the state highways
1-34     subject to this subchapter in accordance with Section 623.253.
1-35           Sec. 623.253.  PERMIT FEES.  The amount of the fee for a
1-36     permit issued under this subchapter is the fee otherwise required
1-37     for a permit issued by the department under this chapter for the
1-38     oversize or overweight vehicle.  Of each fee collected for the
1-39     issuance of a permit under this subchapter, the City of Laredo:
1-40                 (1)  may retain 15 percent to defray administrative
1-41     expenses; and
1-42                 (2)  shall send the remainder to the department for
1-43     deposit to the credit of the state highway fund for the maintenance
1-44     of the state highways subject to this subchapter.
1-45           Sec. 623.254.  PERMIT REQUIREMENTS.  (a)  A permit issued
1-46     under this subchapter must include:
1-47                 (1)  the name of the applicant;
1-48                 (2)  the date of issuance;
1-49                 (3)  the signature of the officer or employee of the
1-50     City of Laredo authorized to approve the issuance of the permit;
1-51                 (4)  a statement of the kind of cargo being transported
1-52     over the roadway designated in the permit, the maximum weight and
1-53     dimensions of the equipment, and the kind and weight of each
1-54     commodity to be transported;
1-55                 (5)  a statement of any condition on which the permit
1-56     is issued;
1-57                 (6)  a statement that the cargo shall be transported
1-58     over the most direct route from the Columbia Solidarity Bridge or
1-59     the World Trade Bridge and Interstate Highway 35;
1-60                 (7)  the name of the driver of the vehicle in which the
1-61     cargo is to be transported; and
1-62                 (8)  the location where the cargo was loaded.
1-63           (b)  The City of Laredo shall report to the department all
1-64     permits issued under this subchapter.
 2-1           Sec. 623.255.  TIME OF MOVEMENT.  A permit issued under this
 2-2     subchapter shall specify the time in which movement authorized by
 2-3     the permit is allowed.
 2-4           Sec. 623.256.  SPEED LIMIT.  Movement authorized by a permit
 2-5     issued under this subchapter may not exceed the lesser of the
 2-6     posted speed limit or 55 miles per hour.  An offense under this
 2-7     section is a Class C misdemeanor and a moving violation.
 2-8           Sec. 623.257.  ENFORCEMENT.  The Department of Public Safety
 2-9     may enforce this subchapter.
2-10           Sec. 623.258.  EXPIRATION.  This subchapter expires March 1,
2-11     2005.
2-12           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
2-13                                  * * * * *