84R20270 JTS-F
By: Anchia H.B. No. 3061
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 3061:
By: Anchia C.S.H.B. No. 3061
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the movement of vehicles transporting ocean cargo
shipping containers; authorizing a fee.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 623, Transportation Code,
is amended by adding Section 623.0172 to read as follows:
Sec. 623.0172. OCEAN CARGO SHIPPING CONTAINERS. (a) In
this section, "ocean cargo shipping container" means an enclosed,
standardized, reusable container that:
(1) is used to pack, ship, move, or transport cargo;
(2) is designed to be carried on a trailer or
semitrailer and loaded onto a vessel for ocean-borne
transportation; and
(3) when combined with vehicles transporting the
container, has a gross weight that exceeds the limits allowed by law
to be transported over a state highway.
(b) The department may issue an annual permit for the
movement of a sealed ocean cargo shipping container moving in
overseas international commerce on a trailer or semitrailer with
three axles if the combination of vehicles transporting the
container has:
(1) a single axle weight of not more than 20,000
pounds;
(2) a tandem axle weight of not more than 40,000
pounds;
(3) a tri-axle weight of not more than 60,000 pounds;
and
(4) a gross weight of not more than 97,000 pounds.
(c) The department shall restrict vehicles operating under
a permit under this section to routes that:
(1) do not include:
(A) roadways or bridges that the department
determines through sound engineering principles should not be used
for overweight vehicles; or
(B) federal highways, if the department
determines that the operation of a vehicle under a permit under this
section on those highways would result in the loss of federal
highway funding; and
(2) end at a facility in this state at which the sealed
container will be loaded on a ship or train in the course of
overseas international shipment.
(d) The department may adopt rules necessary to implement
this section, including rules:
(1) governing application for a permit under this
section; and
(2) requiring additional safety and driver training.
(e) The department shall set the amount of the fee for an
annual permit issued under this section in an amount not to exceed
$7,000, of which:
(1) 90 percent shall be deposited to the credit of the
state highway fund; and
(2) 10 percent shall be deposited to the credit of the
Texas Department of Motor Vehicles fund.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.