BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

Senate Research Center

S.B. 1670

83R10519 DRH-F

By: Nichols

 

Transportation

 

4/5/2013

 

As Filed

 

 

 

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

 

H.B. 2060, 71st Legislature, Regular Session, 1989, created a state weight tolerance permit known as the "2060" permit that allowed for the operation of oversize/overweight (OS/OW) vehicles. These permits are issued to transport non-divisible loads with a few exceptions for divisible loads. These are annual permits that allow for the operation of an 84,000-pound, five-axle tractor trailer on state and county roads. Currently, a "2060" permit fee consists of a base permit fee and an administrative fee plus an additional fee based on the number of counties in which the vehicle operates.

 

The demand for "2060" permits has climbed steadily over the past several years and, in fiscal year 2012, the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles issued around 720,000 permits. Currently, OS/OW permits fail to cover the marginal consumption (i.e., road damage) on the state highway system and other transportation infrastructure.

 

S.B. 1670 increases the base fee and the fee based on number of counties traveled for a "2060" permit. The increased base permit fee would create additional revenue to be deposited into general revenue and later distributed to counties to maintain county roads. The increased fee based on number of counties traveled would generate additional revenue that is deposited into the State Highway Fund. The bill creates two additional county options in the scaled county fee portion.

 

As proposed, S.B. 1670 amends current law relating to the fees for oversize and overweight vehicle permits.

 

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 623.011(b), Transportation Code, to provide that to qualify for a permit under this section a base permit fee of $900, rather than a base permit fee of $90, any additional fee required by Section 623.0111, and any additional fee set by the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles under Section 623.0112 (Additional Administrative Fee) must be paid.

 

SECTION 2. Amends Sections 623.0111(a) and (c), Transportation Code, as follows:

 

(a) Requires the person, when a person applies for a permit under Section 623.011, to designate in the application each county in which the vehicle will be operated and pay in addition to other fees certain annual fees in an amount determined according to the language set forth by the table.

           

(c) Requires that certain amounts of the fees collected under Subsection (a) be deposited to the general revenue fund and the remainder be deposited to the credit of the state highway fund.

 

SECTION 3. Provides that the changes in law made by this Act apply only to an application for a permit under Section 623.011, Transportation Code, that is filed on or after the effective date of this Act.

 

SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2013.