BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center C.S.H.B. 1044
79R17142 JRJ-F By: Eiland (Williams)
Transportation & Homeland Security
Committee Report (Substituted)
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Cedar Crossing Business Park in Chambers County is comprised of 12,000 acres of land set aside for business and industrial development. Cedar Crossing offers all utilities and is the hub for intermodal transportation. In addition to rail, highway, and barge service, the site is located only a short distance from the Port of Houston's Barbours Cut Terminal.
Cedar Crossing's job growth and investment potential is somewhat impeded by the restriction placed upon trucks moving container entering from or destined for overseas shipment. Because of shipping costs, overseas customers demand their containers be loaded to maximum capacity. However, any container moved by truck is restricted to the weight limit established by the Texas Department of Transportation.
C.S.H.B. 1044 designates a portion of two roadways within Cedar Crossing Business Park as "heavy haul roads" and raises the gross weight limit to 100,000 pounds per truck.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Transportation Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 623.259, Transportation Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Chapter 623, Transportation Code, by adding Subchapter M, as follows:
SUBCHAPTER M. CHAMBERS COUNTY PERMITS
Sec. 623.250. OPTIONAL PROCEDURE. Provides that this subchapter provides an optional procedure for the issuance of a permit by Chambers County for the movement of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on certain state highways located in Chambers County.
Sec. 623.251. DEFINITION. Defines "county."
Sec. 623.252. ISSUANCE OF PERMITS. (a) Authorizes the Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) to authorize the county to issue permits for Section 623.250.
(b) Authorizes a permit issued under this subchapter to authorize certain activities
(c) Requires the county to report to the Texas Department of Transportation all permits issued under this subchapter.
Sec. 623.256. TIME OF MOVEMENT. Requires a permit issued under this subchapter to specify the time during which movement authorized by the permit is allowed.
Sec. 623.257. SPEED LIMIT. Prohibits movement authorized by a permit issued under this subchapter from exceeding the posted speed limit or 55 miles per hour, whichever is less. Provides that a violation of this provision constitutes a moving violation.
Sec. 623.258. ENFORCEMENT. Provides that the Department of Public Safety has authority to enforce this subchapter.
Sec. 623.259. RULES. Authorizes TTC to adopt rules necessary to implement this subchapter.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2005.