BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2117

By: Oliveira

Transportation

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

An overweight truck corridor currently exists leading from the Veteran's Bridge at Los Tomates to the Port of Brownsville. The corridor expires on June 1, 2009. Because it is a vital economic engine for steel products heading to and from Mexico, there is a need to continue the corridor to allow heavy trucks access to the Port of Brownsville.

C.S.H.B. 2117 removes the expiration provision for port authority permits for oversize or overweight vehicles and a provision regarding maintenance contracts and adds requirements to provisions regarding fees.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 2117 amends the Transportation Code provisions regarding port authority permits for oversize or overweight vehicles.  The bill requires the fees collected for the permits, less administrative costs, to be used solely to provide funds for the maintenance and improvement of state highways subject to the port authority.  The bill authorizes the port authority to retain administrative costs and limits the administrative costs to not exceed 15 percent of the fees collected.  The bill removes a provision regarding maintenance contracts and the provision for the expiration of port authority permit provisions for oversize or overweight vehicles.  The bill establishes the manner in which its provisions take effect if the bill takes effect on or before June 1, 2009, or after June 1, 2009.

C.S.H.B. 2117 repeals Section 623.213, Transportation Code, relating to maintenance contracts under port authority permits for oversize or overweight vehicles.  The bill repeals Section 623.219, Transportation Code, relating to the expiration of port authority permits for oversize or overweight vehicles.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 2117 removes language from the original regarding the expiration of port authority permits for oversize or overweight vehicles and reenacts Subchapter K, Chapter 623, Transportation Code.  The substitute adds to the original to require the fees collected for the permits, less administrative costs, to be used solely to provide funds for the maintenance and improvement of state highways subject to the port authority.  The substitute adds to the original to authorize the port authority to retain administrative costs and limits the administrative costs to not exceed 15 percent of the fees collected.  The substitute removes from the original provisions regarding maintenance contracts and the expiration of port authority permit provisions for oversize or overweight vehicles.