SRC-LBB C.S.S.B. 1763 78(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterC.S.S.B. 1763
By: Ogden
Infrastructure Development and Security
5/9/2003
Committee Report (Substituted)


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 
 
Under current law, overweight trucks must use an alternate route, if one
exists, rather than crossing a bridge with a lower weight limit.  C.S.S.B.
1763 requires the holder of a permit for oversize or overweight vehicles
to provide 2 hours prior notice to a county if the permit holder plans to
travel over a road or bridge with a lower weight limit that provides the
only public vehicular access.  The bill provides additional exceptions to
statutory provisions governing the use of bridges and county roads by
overweight vehicles. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to
a state officer, institution, or agency. 

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 623.0113, Transportation Code, as follows:

Section 623.0113.  ROUTE PROVISIONS.  (a)  Includes a county road, as well
as a bridge, regarding maximum weight and load limits of vehicles.
Provides an exception. 

(b)  Provides that the restrictions under Subsection (a)(2) do not apply
if a bridge or county road described by Subsection (a)(2) provides the
only public vehicular access from an origin or to a destination by a
holder of a permit issued under Section 623.011 and the holder provides at
least 2 hours prior notice of the needed access to the office of the
county sheriff by telephone or other means of communication. 

(c)  Provides that the restrictions under Subsection (a)(2) do not apply
if a county road described by Subsection (a) (2) provides the only
reasonable public vehicular access from an origin or to a destination.
Requires public access to be less than 33 percent longer than the most
direct access from an origin or to a destination. 

(d)  Provides that the provisions of Subsections (a) and (c), relating to
the restrictions on the use of a county road, apply only after the Texas
Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has added the county road to certain
databases and made this information available through TxDOT's Internet
website. 

(e)  Provides that any weight restriction for a county road, established
prior to September 1, 2001, is subject to the provisions of Section
621.301(a) of the Transportation Code. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date:  upon passage or September 1, 2003.