HLS 16RS-3334 ENGROSSED
2016 Regular Session
HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 105
BY REPRESENTATIVE HAVARD
TRANSPORTATION: Creates the Special Permit Task Force
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2To create the Special Permit Task Force to study and make recommendations regarding
3 special permits issued by the Department of Transportation and Development for
4 oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways.
5 WHEREAS, Louisiana law provides for approximately twenty-eight statutory special
6permits which allow for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways, in
7addition to other special permits issued by the Department of Transportation and
8Development pursuant to inter-state agreements; and
9 WHEREAS, the large majority of the special permits issued by the Department of
10Transportation and Development apply to loads that exceed the weight limits ordinarily
11applicable to vehicles traveling on the roads and bridges of this state, as set forth in R.S.
1232:386; and
13 WHEREAS, studies have found that heavy loads, when traversing bridges on the
14state highway system, can produce a significant strain on those bridges, which in turn can
15lead to substantially increased maintenance needs; and
16 WHEREAS, Louisiana has nearly eight thousand bridges on the state highway
17system, more than three thousand of which are past their fifty-year design life, including
18more than three-fourths of state-owned timber bridges; and
19 WHEREAS, historically, the state has struggled to find adequate funds to maintain
20or replace aging bridges on the state highway system, causing an increasing number of state
21bridges to have to be load posted due to their condition, with the last count of such bridges
22reaching five hundred sixty seven; and
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HCR NO. 105
1 WHEREAS, deterioration of state bridges can create risks for the state and the
2traveling public, including the commercial users of those bridges.
3 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
4create the Special Permit Task Force to meet and make recommendations to the legislature
5and the Department of Transportation and Development on actions necessary to accomplish
6the following, as well as any additional recommendations that the task force may find
7beneficial:
8 (1) Consolidate and simplify governing statutes applicable to special permits issued
9by the Department of Transportation and Development for oversize and overweight truck
10movement on state highways.
11 (2) Simplify the application process for special permits issued by the Department
12of Transportation and Development for oversize and overweight truck movement on state
13highways.
14 (3) Increase utilization of technology by the Department of Transportation and
15Development when issuing permits for oversize and overweight truck movement on state
16highways.
17 (4) Increase efficiencies in the Department of Transportation and Development's
18issuance of permits for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways.
19 (5) Adjust the costs of special permits issued by the Department of Transportation
20and Development for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways to fund
21a bridge improvement program that targets deteriorating bridges on state routes of
22significance to commerce in Louisiana.
23 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall be comprised of the
24following members:
25 (1) One member shall be the secretary of the Department of Transportation and
26Development, or his designee, who shall be the chairman of the task force.
27 (2) One member shall be the superintendent of the office of state police, or his
28designee.
29 (3) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
30 (4) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Forestry Association.
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HCR NO. 105
1 (5) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Section, Air and Waste
2Management Association.
3 (6) One member shall be appointed by the American Sugar Cane League.
4 (7) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Motor Transport Association.
5 (8) One member shall be appointed by the Concrete and Aggregates Association of
6Louisiana.
7 (9) One member shall be appointed by the Louisiana Railroad Association.
8 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall convene its first meeting by
9August 1, 2016, and shall meet, at a minimum, on a bimonthly basis. At the first meeting the
10task force shall adopt rules of procedure, a work schedule, and any additional measures that
11it deems necessary for the timely performance of its duties.
12 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the chairman of the task force shall cause notice
13of each meeting of the task force to be provided to the speaker of the House of
14Representatives, the president of the Senate, the chairman of the House Committee on
15Transportation, Highways and Public Works, and the chairman of the Senate Committee on
16Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
17 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of the task force shall serve
18without compensation, except per diem or expense reimbursement to which they may be
19individually entitled as members of their respective organizations.
20 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force shall submit a written report and
21recommendations to the House and Senate committees on transportation, highways and
22public works, the speaker of the House of Representatives, the president of the Senate, and
23the Department of Transportation and Development no later than February 1, 2017.
24 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force will be staffed by Department of
25Transportation and Development for all meetings of the task force.
26 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be submitted to the
27secretary of the Department of Transportation and Development, the speaker of the House
28of Representatives, the president of the Senate, the chairman of the House Committee on
29Transportation, Highways and Public Works, the chairman of the Senate Committee on
30Transportation, Highways and Public Works, the superintendent of the office of state police,
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HCR NO. 105
1the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation, the Louisiana Forestry Association, the Louisiana
2Section, Air and Waste Management Association, the American Sugar Cane League, the
3Louisiana Motor Transport Association, and the Concrete and Aggregates Association of
4Louisiana.
DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute
part of the law or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HCR 105 Engrossed 2016 Regular Session Havard
Creates the Special Permit Task Force to meet and make recommendations to the legislature
and the Dept. of Transportation and Development on actions necessary to accomplish a
number of items related to the issuance of special permits by the Dept. of Transportation and
Development for oversize and overweight truck movement on state highways.
Specifies that the Special Permit Task Force shall be composed of the following:
(1)The secretary of the Dept. of Transportation and Development, or his designee, who
shall be the chairman of the task force.
(2)The superintendent of the office of state police, or his designee.
(3)A member appointed by the Louisiana Farm Bureau Federation.
(4)A member appointed by the Louisiana Forestry Association.
(5)A member appointed by the Louisiana Section, Air and Waste Management
Association.
(6)A member appointed by the American Sugar Cane League.
(7)A member appointed by the Louisiana Motor Transport Association.
(8)A member appointed by the Concrete and Aggregates Association of Louisiana.
(9)A member appointed by the Louisiana Railroad Association.
Summary of Amendments Adopted by House
The Committee Amendments Proposed by House Committee on Transportation,
Highways and Public Works to the original resolution:
1. Remove all elected officials from the task force.
2. Add member appointed by the Louisiana Railroad Association to the task force.
3. Add that the chairman of the task force shall cause notice of each meeting of the
task force to be provided to the speaker of the House of Representatives, the
president of the Senate, the chairman of the House Committee on Transportation,
Highways and Public Works, and the chairman of the Senate Committee on
Transportation, Highways and Public Works.
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