BILL ANALYSIS
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Senate Research Center |
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AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, safety flaps are required on all road tractors, trucks, trailers, and truck-tractors used in combination with a semitrailer or semitrailer in combination with a towing vehicle that has at least four tires on the rearmost axle of the vehicle or the rearmost vehicle in the combination. However, a loophole allows tractors, trailers, and truck-tractors with two super singles, or wide-base single tires on the rearmost axle, to bypass the safety flap requirement. Semi-trucks with wide-base single tires pose the same safety concerns as the more common rear axle configuration, yet there is no requirement for these trucks to use safety flaps.
H.B. 1330 amends current law relating to the use of safety guards or flaps on certain vehicles or vehicle combinations.
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 547.606(a), Transportation Code, by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c), as follows:
(a) Requires a road tractor, truck, trailer, truck-tractor in combination with a semitrailer, or semitrailer in combination with a towing vehicle that has at least four tires or at least two super single tires on the rearmost axle of the vehicle or the rearmost vehicle in the combination be equipped with safety guards or flaps that meet certain criteria.
(c) Defines, in this section "super single tire."
SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2011.