| TO: | Honorable Larry Phillips, Chair, House Committee on Transportation |
| FROM: | John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2960 by Darby (Relating to farm vehicles and vehicles controlled and operated by farmers.), As Introduced |
The bill would amend Chapter 502 of the Transportation Code to allow the use of a commercial farm vehicle to transport the owner or a member of the owner's family to participate in certain equine activities or attend livestock shows. The bill would amend Transportation Code, Section 522.004, to authorize a farmer to operate a vehicle that is used to transport agricultural products, farm machinery, or farm supplies to or from a farm outside of a distance of 150 miles from the person's farm.
The Department of Public Safety (DPS) indicates the provisions of the bill authorizing the operation of a farm vehicle outside of the 150 mile radius without requiring a commercial driver license would place Texas out of compliance with Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, and risk a loss of federal-aid highway funds and federal Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) funds. Based on the analysis of DPS, it is assumed the potential losses from federal-aid highway funds would be 5 percent of the total funds received in the first year of non-compliance ($80,227,324) and 10 percent in all subsequent years ($160,454,648) and a complete withdrawal of MCSAP funds (approximately $36,000,000 each year) in each year of non-compliance.
| Source Agencies: | 405 Department of Public Safety, 608 Department of Motor Vehicles
|
| LBB Staff: | JOB, KJG, MW, TG, SD
|