Texas 2017 - 85th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3350 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	85R3101 JRR-F
2	2	By: Israel H.B. No. 3350
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the operation of vehicles transporting mobile cranes;
8	8	authorizing a fee.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 621.102(d), Transportation Code, is
11	11	amended to read as follows:
12	12	(d) A vehicle operating under a permit issued under Section
13	13	623.011, 623.071, 623.094, 623.121, 623.142, 623.181, 623.192,
14	14	623.212, [or] 623.321, or 623.402 [as added by Chapter 1135 (H.B.
15	15	2741), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013,] may
16	16	operate under the conditions authorized by the permit over a road
17	17	for which the executive director of the Texas Department of
18	18	Transportation has set a maximum weight under this section.
19	19	SECTION 2. Section 621.301(e), Transportation Code, is
20	20	amended to read as follows:
21	21	(e) A vehicle operating under a permit issued under Section
22	22	623.011, 623.071, 623.094, 623.121, 623.142, 623.181, 623.192,
23	23	623.212, [or] 623.321, or 623.402 [as added by Chapter 1135 (H.B.
24	24	2741), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013,] may
25	25	operate under the conditions authorized by the permit over a road
26	26	for which the commissioners court has set a maximum weight under
27	27	this section.
28	28	SECTION 3. Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by
29	29	adding Subchapter U to read as follows:
30	30	SUBCHAPTER U. MOBILE CRANES
31	31	Sec. 623.401. DEFINITION. In this subchapter, "mobile
32	32	crane" means a self-propelled vehicle that is:
33	33	(1) used solely to raise, shift, or lower heavy
34	34	weights by means of a projecting, swinging mast with an engine for
35	35	power on a chassis permanently constructed or assembled for that
36	36	purpose; and
37	37	(2) designed to be moved between operating locations
38	38	by transport over a roadway.
39	39	Sec. 623.402. PERMIT FOR VEHICLE TRANSPORTING MOBILE CRANE.
40	40	(a) The department shall issue a permit that authorizes the
41	41	operation of a vehicle or combination of vehicles transporting a
42	42	mobile crane at a gross weight that is not heavier than 100,000
43	43	pounds.
44	44	(b) Except as provided by Subsection (e), to qualify for a
45	45	permit under this subchapter, a permit fee of $1,000 must be paid.
46	46	(c) A permit issued under this subchapter:
47	47	(1) is valid for one year, except as provided by
48	48	Subsection (e); and
49	49	(2) must be carried in the vehicle for which it is
50	50	issued.
51	51	(d) A vehicle issued a permit under this subchapter may
52	52	operate on a state, county, or municipal road, including a
53	53	load-zoned county road or a frontage road adjacent to a federal
54	54	interstate highway, if the vehicle displays a sticker required by
55	55	Section 623.403 and does not exceed the maximum gross weight
56	56	authorized under Subsection (a).
57	57	(e) The department may issue a permit under this subchapter
58	58	that is valid for a period of less than one year. The department
59	59	shall prorate the applicable fee required by Subsection (b) for a
60	60	permit issued under this subsection as necessary to reflect the
61	61	term of the permit.
62	62	Sec. 623.403. PERMIT STICKER. (a) When the department
63	63	issues a permit under this subchapter, the department shall issue a
64	64	sticker to be placed on the front windshield of the vehicle. The
65	65	department shall design the form of the sticker to aid in the
66	66	enforcement of weight limits for vehicles.
67	67	(b) The sticker must:
68	68	(1) indicate the expiration date of the permit; and
69	69	(2) be removed from the vehicle when:
70	70	(A) the permit for operation of the vehicle
71	71	expires;
72	72	(B) a lease of the vehicle expires; or
73	73	(C) the vehicle is sold.
74	74	Sec. 623.404. COUNTY DESIGNATION. The department by rule
75	75	shall require an applicant under this subchapter to designate in
76	76	the permit application the counties in which the applicant intends
77	77	to operate.
78	78	Sec. 623.405. DISTRIBUTION OF FEE. Of the fee collected
79	79	under this subchapter for a permit, 50 percent of the amount
80	80	collected shall be divided among and distributed to the counties
81	81	designated under Section 623.404 in permit applications according
82	82	to department rule.
83	83	Sec. 623.406. CERTAIN COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL ACTIONS
84	84	PROHIBITED. Unless otherwise provided by state or federal law, a
85	85	county or municipality may not require a permit, fee, or license for
86	86	the operation of a vehicle described by Section 623.402(a) in
87	87	addition to a permit, fee, or license required by state law.
88	88	Sec. 623.407. TIMES AND DAYS OF MOVEMENT. (a) Movement
89	89	authorized by a permit issued under this subchapter may be made on
90	90	any day, provided that in a county with a population of more than
91	91	300,000, movement may not be made between:
92	92	(1) 7 a.m. and 9 a.m.; and
93	93	(2) 4 p.m. and 6 p.m.
94	94	(b) The Texas Department of Transportation may limit the
95	95	hours for travel on certain routes because of heavy traffic
96	96	conditions.
97	97	(c) The Texas Department of Transportation shall publish
98	98	the limitation on movements prescribed by this section and the
99	99	limitations adopted under Subsection (b) and shall make the
100	100	publications available to the public. Each limitation adopted by
101	101	the Texas Department of Transportation must be made available to
102	102	the public before it takes effect.
103	103	Sec. 623.408. INTERSTATE AND DEFENSE HIGHWAYS. (a) This
104	104	subchapter does not authorize the operation on the national system
105	105	of interstate and defense highways in this state of a vehicle of a
106	106	size or weight greater than those permitted under 23 U.S.C. Section
107	107	127.
108	108	(b) If the United States authorizes the operation on the
109	109	national system of interstate and defense highways of a vehicle of a
110	110	size or weight greater than those permitted under 23 U.S.C. Section
111	111	127 on September 1, 2017, the new limit automatically takes effect
112	112	on the national system of interstate and defense highways in this
113	113	state.
114	114	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.