BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 2841 By: Hinojosa, Adam Transportation 4/10/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT The Transportation Code, by statute, authorizes the Port of Brownsville to issue overweight permits within its designated route that includes three bridges: Gateway International Bridge, Veterans International Bridge, and the Free Trade International Bridge. However, the rule adopted in the Texas Administrative Code gives preferential treatment to the Gateway and Veterans bridges. This legislation seeks to ensure the route is clearly applicable to include both northbound and southbound directions for all three bridges that are currently included in the designated route. This is necessary to prevent any misinterpretation that the route is limited to northbound traffic only and will bring parity amongst the three bridges. As proposed, S.B. 2841 amends current law relating to the route designation for the issuance of a permit for the movement of oversize and overweight vehicles that serve a deepwater seaport on the U.S.-Mexico Border. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 623.219(a), Transportation Code, as follows: (a) Requires the Texas Transportation Commission, for a permit issued by a port authority located in a county that borders the United Mexican States, to, with the consent of the port authority, designate the most direct route between, rather than from: (1) the Gateway International Bridge or the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates to the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using State Highways 48 and 4 or United States Highways 77 and 83 or using United States Highway 77 and United States Highway 83, East Loop Corridor, and State Highway 4; and (2) the Free Trade International Bridge and, rather than to, the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using Farm-to-Market Road 509, United States Highways 77 and 83, Farm-to-Market Road 511, State Highway 550, and East Loop (State Highway 32). SECTION 2. Provides that this bill is applicable only to the designated routes for the Port of Brownsville. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 2841
By: Hinojosa, Adam
Transportation
4/10/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 2841
By: Hinojosa, Adam
Transportation
4/10/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
The Transportation Code, by statute, authorizes the Port of Brownsville to issue overweight permits within its designated route that includes three bridges: Gateway International Bridge, Veterans International Bridge, and the Free Trade International Bridge. However, the rule adopted in the Texas Administrative Code gives preferential treatment to the Gateway and Veterans bridges.
This legislation seeks to ensure the route is clearly applicable to include both northbound and southbound directions for all three bridges that are currently included in the designated route. This is necessary to prevent any misinterpretation that the route is limited to northbound traffic only and will bring parity amongst the three bridges.
As proposed, S.B. 2841 amends current law relating to the route designation for the issuance of a permit for the movement of oversize and overweight vehicles that serve a deepwater seaport on the U.S.-Mexico Border.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 623.219(a), Transportation Code, as follows:
(a) Requires the Texas Transportation Commission, for a permit issued by a port authority located in a county that borders the United Mexican States, to, with the consent of the port authority, designate the most direct route between, rather than from:
(1) the Gateway International Bridge or the Veterans International Bridge at Los Tomates to the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using State Highways 48 and 4 or United States Highways 77 and 83 or using United States Highway 77 and United States Highway 83, East Loop Corridor, and State Highway 4; and
(2) the Free Trade International Bridge and, rather than to, the entrance of the Port of Brownsville using Farm-to-Market Road 509, United States Highways 77 and 83, Farm-to-Market Road 511, State Highway 550, and East Loop (State Highway 32).
SECTION 2. Provides that this bill is applicable only to the designated routes for the Port of Brownsville.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.