H.B. No. 422
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to certain oversize and overweight permits issued by the
  Texas Department of Transportation.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 623, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 623.0181 to read as follows:
         Sec. 623.0181.  PERMITS FOR AUXILIARY POWER UNITS. The
  department may issue a permit that authorizes the operation of a
  commercial motor vehicle, trailer, semitrailer, or combination of
  those vehicles, or a truck-tractor or combination of a
  truck-tractor and one or more other vehicles, that exceeds the
  maximum weight limit as set by the department due to the presence of
  an auxiliary power unit that allows the vehicle to operate on
  electricity or battery power if the department finds that such an
  exemption would reduce nitrogen oxide emissions.
         SECTION 2.  Subchapter D, Chapter 623, Transportation Code,
  is amended by adding Section 623.0711 to read as follows:
         Sec. 623.0711.  PERMITS AUTHORIZED BY COMMISSION.  (a) The
  commission by rule may authorize the department to issue a permit to
  a motor carrier, as defined by Section 643.001, to transport
  multiple loads of the same commodity over a state highway if all of
  the loads are traveling between the same general locations.
         (b)  The commission may not authorize the issuance of a
  permit that would allow a vehicle to:
               (1)  violate federal regulations on size and weight
  requirements; or
               (2)  transport equipment that could reasonably be
  dismantled for transportation as separate loads.
         (c)  The commission rules must require that, before the
  department issues a permit under this section, the department:
               (1)  determine that the state will benefit from the
  consolidated permitting process; and
               (2)  complete a route and engineering study that
  considers:
                     (A)  the estimated number of loads to be
  transported by the motor carrier under the permit;
                     (B)  the size and weight of the commodity;
                     (C)  available routes that can accommodate the
  size and weight of the vehicle and load to be transported;
                     (D)  the potential roadway damage caused by
  repeated use of the road by the permitted vehicle;
                     (E)  any disruption caused by the movement of the
  permitted vehicle; and
                     (F)  the safety of the traveling public.
         (d)  The commission rules may authorize the department to
  impose on the motor carrier any condition regarding routing, time
  of travel, axle weight, and escort vehicles necessary to ensure
  safe operation and minimal damage to the roadway.
         (e)  A permit issued under this section may provide multiple
  routes to minimize damage to the roadways.
         (f)  The commission shall require the motor carrier to file a
  bond in an amount set by the commission, payable to the department
  and conditioned on the motor carrier paying to the department any
  damage that is sustained to a state highway because of the operation
  of a vehicle under a permit issued under this section.
         (g)  An application for a permit under this section must be
  accompanied by the permit fee established by the commission for the
  permit, not to exceed $9,000. The department shall send each fee to
  the comptroller for deposit to the credit of the state highway fund.
         (h)  In addition to the fee established under Subsection (g),
  the commission rules must authorize the department to collect a
  consolidated permit payment for a permit under this section in an
  amount not to exceed 15 percent of the fee established under
  Subsection (g), to be deposited to the credit of the state highway
  fund.
         (i)  The executive director of the department or the
  executive director's designee may suspend a permit issued under
  this section or alter a designated route because of:
               (1)  a change in pavement conditions;
               (2)  a change in traffic conditions;
               (3)  a geometric change in roadway configuration;
               (4)  construction or maintenance activity; or
               (5)  emergency or incident management.
         (j)  A violation of a permit issued under this section is
  subject to the administrative sanctions of Subchapter N.
         (k)  In this section, "commission" means the Texas
  Transportation Commission.
         SECTION 3.  Section 623.071, Transportation Code, is amended
  by adding Subsection (h) to read as follows:
         (h)  If on completion of a route and engineering study the
  department determines that the additional length can be transported
  safely, the department may issue to a person a single trip permit
  that allows the person to operate over a highway in this state
  superheavy or oversize equipment exceeding the length limitation
  established by Subsection (c) and that may be used in conjunction
  with an annual permit issued under that subsection.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
  a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
  provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
  Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
  Act takes effect September 1, 2011.
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 422 was passed by the House on March
  30, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 146, Nays 0, 1 present, not
  voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B.
  No. 422 on May 27, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 128, Nays 10,
  2 present, not voting.
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
         I certify that H.B. No. 422 was passed by the Senate, with
  amendments, on May 25, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays
  0
  .
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate   
  APPROVED: __________________
                  Date       
   
           __________________
                Governor