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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the issuance of oversize or overweight vehicle permits |
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by certain port authorities. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 623.210, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 623.210. OPTIONAL PROCEDURE. This subchapter provides |
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an optional procedure for the issuance of a permit for the movement |
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of oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on state highways |
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located in counties contiguous to the Gulf of Mexico or a bay or |
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inlet opening into the gulf and: |
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(1) adjacent to at least two counties with a |
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population of 350,000 or more; or |
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(2) bordering the United Mexican States. |
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SECTION 2. Section 623.211, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 623.211. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "port |
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authority" means a port authority or navigation district created or |
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operating under Section 52, Article III, or Section 59, Article |
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XVI, Texas Constitution. |
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SECTION 3. Section 623.212, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 623.212. PERMITS BY PORT AUTHORITY. The department |
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may authorize a port authority to issue permits for the movement of |
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oversize or overweight vehicles carrying cargo on state highways |
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located in counties contiguous to the Gulf of Mexico or a bay or |
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inlet opening into the gulf and: |
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(1) adjacent to at least two counties with a |
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population of 350,000 or more; or |
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(2) bordering the United Mexican States. |
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SECTION 4. Section 623.219, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 623.219. ROUTE DESIGNATION. (a) For a permit issued |
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by a port authority located in a county that borders the United |
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Mexican States, the [The] commission shall, with the consent of the |
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port authority, designate the most direct route from the Gateway |
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International Bridge or the Veterans International Bridge at Los |
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Tomates to the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using State |
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Highways 48 and 4 or United States Highways 77 and 83 or using |
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United States Highway 77 and United States Highway 83, East Loop |
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Corridor, and State Highway 4. |
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(b) For a permit issued by a port authority located in a |
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county that is adjacent to at least two counties with a population |
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of 350,000 or more, the commission shall, with the consent of the |
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port authority, designate the most direct route from: |
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(1) the intersection of Farm-to-Market Road 523 and |
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Moller Road to the entrance of Port Freeport using Farm-to-Market |
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Roads 523 and 1495; |
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(2) the intersection of State Highway 288 and Chlorine |
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Road to the entrance of Port Freeport using State Highway 288; and |
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(3) the intersection of State Highway 288 and Chlorine |
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Road to the entrance of Port Freeport using State Highways 288 and |
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332 and Farm-to-Market Roads 523 and 1495. |
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(c) If the commission designates a route or changes the |
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route designated under this section, the commission shall notify |
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the port authority of the route not later than the 60th day before |
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the date that the designation takes effect. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |