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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to oversize or overweight vehicles transporting timber or |
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timber products. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 622.041, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 622.041. WEIGHT AND LENGTH LIMITATION. (a) A person |
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may operate over a highway or road of this state a vehicle or |
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combination of vehicles that is being used to transport |
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[exclusively for transporting poles, piling, or] unrefined timber, |
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wood chips, or woody biomass [from the point of origin of the timber
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(the forest where the timber is felled) to a wood processing mill] |
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if: |
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(1) the vehicle, or combination of vehicles, is not |
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longer than 90 feet, including the load; [and] |
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(2) the distance from the point of origin to the |
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destination or delivery point does not exceed 150 [125] miles; and |
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(3) when the maximum allowable gross weight authorized |
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by a permit issued under Section 623.011 for the vehicle or |
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combination of vehicles is: |
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(A) not exceeded, the gross load carried on any |
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tandem axle of the vehicle or combination of vehicles does not |
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exceed 44,000 pounds; or |
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(B) exceeded, the vehicle or combination of |
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vehicles complies with the requirements of Section 621.101(b). |
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(b) Section 621.508 does not apply to a vehicle or |
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combination of vehicles operated under this section. [Subsection
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(a)(1) does not apply to a truck-tractor or truck-tractor
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combination transporting poles, piling, or unrefined timber.] |
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SECTION 2. Section 622.043, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 622.043. CONFORMITY WITH GENERAL PROVISIONS RELATING |
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TO VEHICLE SIZE AND WEIGHT. Except as otherwise provided by this |
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subchapter, the [The] width, height, and gross weight of a vehicle |
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or combination of vehicles subject to this subchapter shall conform |
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to Chapter 621. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |