Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1572 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R11919 JRR-F
2	2	By: Birdwell S.B. No. 1572
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the operation of vehicles transporting steel;
10	10	authorizing a fee.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Sections 621.508(a) and (a-1), Transportation
13	13	Code, are amended to read as follows:
14	14	(a) Except as provided by Subsection (a-1), it is an
15	15	affirmative defense to prosecution of, or an action under
16	16	Subchapter F for, the offense of operating a vehicle with a single
17	17	axle weight or tandem axle weight heavier than the axle weight
18	18	authorized by law that at the time of the offense the vehicle:
19	19	(1) had a single axle weight or tandem axle weight that
20	20	was not heavier than the axle weight authorized by law plus 12
21	21	percent;
22	22	(2) was loaded with:
23	23	(A) timber, pulp wood, wood chips, or cotton,
24	24	livestock, or other agricultural products that are:
25	25	(i) [(A)] in their natural state; and
26	26	(ii) [(B)] being transported from the place
27	27	of production to the place of first marketing or first processing;
28	28	or
29	29	(B) steel that is being transported from the
30	30	place of production to the place of first marketing; and
31	31	(3) was not being operated on a portion of the national
32	32	system of interstate and defense highways.
33	33	(a-1) The affirmative defense provided by Subsection (a)
34	34	does not apply to the excess weights authorized under Section
35	35	623.421(b) or 623.451(b).
36	36	SECTION 2. Chapter 623, Transportation Code, is amended by
37	37	adding Subchapter W to read as follows:
38	38	SUBCHAPTER W. VEHICLES TRANSPORTING STEEL
39	39	Sec. 623.451. PERMIT FOR VEHICLES TRANSPORTING STEEL. (a)
40	40	The department may issue a permit authorizing the movement of steel
41	41	by a truck-tractor and semitrailer combination that has six total
42	42	axles and is equipped with a roll stability support safety system
43	43	and truck blind spot systems:
44	44	(1) at a gross weight that is not heavier than 90,000
45	45	pounds; and
46	46	(2) with axle weights that comply with the
47	47	requirements of Section 621.101(a), except as authorized by
48	48	Subsection (b).
49	49	(b) A vehicle combination operating under a permit issued
50	50	under Subsection (a) may exceed the axle weights listed in Section
51	51	621.101(a) for the following axle groups if the overall distance
52	52	between the first axle of the truck-tractor and the first axle of
53	53	the first consecutive set of tandem axles is 15 feet or more, the
54	54	overall distance between the first and last axles of two
55	55	consecutive sets of tandem axles is 36 feet or more, the distance
56	56	between each individual axle in each axle group, measured from the
57	57	center of the axle, is between 48 inches and 54 inches, and:
58	58	(1) a two-axle group does not exceed 36,500 pounds;
59	59	and
60	60	(2) a three-axle group does not exceed 42,500 pounds.
61	61	(c) To qualify for a permit under this subchapter, a permit
62	62	fee of $1,200 must be paid.
63	63	(d) A permit issued under this subchapter:
64	64	(1) is valid for one year; and
65	65	(2) must be carried in the truck-tractor for which it
66	66	is issued.
67	67	Sec. 623.452. PERMIT STICKER. (a) When the department
68	68	issues a permit under this subchapter, the department shall issue a
69	69	sticker to be placed on the front windshield of the truck-tractor.
70	70	The department shall design the form of the sticker to aid in the
71	71	enforcement of weight limits for vehicles.
72	72	(b) The sticker must:
73	73	(1) indicate the expiration date of the permit; and
74	74	(2) be removed from the truck-tractor when:
75	75	(A) the permit for operation of the vehicle
76	76	combination expires;
77	77	(B) a lease of the truck-tractor expires; or
78	78	(C) the truck-tractor is sold.
79	79	Sec. 623.453. COUNTY DESIGNATION; DISTRIBUTION OF FEE. (a)
80	80	An applicant for a permit under this subchapter must designate in
81	81	the permit application the counties in which the applicant intends
82	82	to operate. A permit issued under this subchapter is not valid in a
83	83	county that is not designated in the permit application.
84	84	(b) Of the fee collected under this subchapter for a permit:
85	85	(1) 75 percent of the amount collected shall be
86	86	deposited to the credit of the state highway fund;
87	87	(2) 15 percent of the amount collected shall be
88	88	divided equally among and distributed to the counties designated in
89	89	the permit application; and
90	90	(3) 10 percent of the amount collected shall be
91	91	deposited to the credit of the Texas Department of Motor Vehicles
92	92	fund.
93	93	(c) At least once each fiscal year, the comptroller shall
94	94	send the amount due each county under Subsection (b) to the county
95	95	treasurer or officer performing the function of that office for
96	96	deposit to the credit of the county road and bridge fund.
97	97	Sec. 623.454. PERMIT CONDITIONS. (a) Except as provided by
98	98	Subsections (b) and (c), a vehicle combination operating under a
99	99	permit under this subchapter may operate on a federal interstate
100	100	highway or a state, county, or municipal road, including a frontage
101	101	road adjacent to a federal interstate highway, if the truck-tractor
102	102	displays a sticker required by Section 623.452 and the vehicle
103	103	combination does not exceed the maximum axle or gross weight
104	104	applicable to the combination under the terms of the permit.
105	105	(b) A permit issued under this subchapter authorizes the
106	106	operation of a truck-tractor and semitrailer combination only on
107	107	highways and roads approved by the Texas Department of
108	108	Transportation.
109	109	(c) A permit issued under this subchapter does not authorize
110	110	the operation of a truck-tractor and semitrailer combination on a
111	111	county road or bridge for which a maximum weight and load limit has
112	112	been established and posted under Section 621.301.
113	113	Sec. 623.455. CERTAIN COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL ACTIONS
114	114	PROHIBITED. Unless otherwise provided by state or federal law, a
115	115	county or municipality may not require a permit, fee, or license for
116	116	the operation of a vehicle combination described by Section
117	117	623.451(a) or (b) in addition to a permit, fee, or license required
118	118	by state law.
119	119	Sec. 623.456. EXCLUSIVE PERMIT. A permit issued under this
120	120	subchapter is the only permit issued by the department under this
121	121	chapter that may be used to transport steel.
122	122	Sec. 623.457. RULES. (a) The department shall adopt rules
123	123	necessary to implement this subchapter, including rules governing
124	124	the application for a permit under this subchapter.
125	125	(b) The Department of Public Safety shall adopt rules
126	126	requiring additional safety and driver training for permits issued
127	127	under this subchapter.
128	128	SECTION 3. Section 623.003(b), Transportation Code, is
129	129	amended to read as follows:
130	130	(b) The Texas Department of Transportation shall provide
131	131	the department with all routing information necessary to complete a
132	132	permit issued under Section 623.071, 623.121, 623.142, 623.192,
133	133	623.402, [or] 623.421, or 623.451.
134	134	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect January 1, 2026.