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AN ACT
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relating to the operation of certain oversize or overweight |
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vehicles transporting timber, timber products, or forestry |
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equipment on certain public roadways. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 621.102(d), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(d) A vehicle operating under a permit issued under Section |
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623.011, 623.071, 623.094, 623.121, 623.142, 623.181, 623.192, |
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[or] 623.212, or 623.321, as added by Chapter 1135 (H.B. 2741), Acts |
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of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, may operate under |
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the conditions authorized by the permit over a road for which the |
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executive director of the Texas Department of Transportation has |
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set a maximum weight under this section. |
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SECTION 2. Section 621.301(e), Transportation Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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(e) A vehicle operating under a permit issued under Section |
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623.011, 623.071, 623.094, 623.121, 623.142, 623.181, 623.192, |
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[or] 623.212, or 623.321, as added by Chapter 1135 (H.B. 2741), Acts |
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of the 83rd Legislature, Regular Session, 2013, may operate under |
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the conditions authorized by the permit over a road for which the |
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commissioners court has set a maximum weight under this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 622.901, Transportation Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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Sec. 622.901. WIDTH EXCEPTIONS. The width limitation |
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provided by Section 621.201 does not apply to: |
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(1) highway building or maintenance machinery that is |
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traveling: |
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(A) during daylight on a public highway other |
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than a highway that is part of the national system of interstate and |
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defense highways; or |
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(B) for not more than 50 miles on a highway that |
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is part of the national system of interstate and defense highways; |
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(2) a vehicle traveling during daylight on a public |
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highway other than a highway that is part of the national system of |
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interstate and defense highways or traveling for not more than 50 |
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miles on a highway that is part of the national system of interstate |
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and defense highways if the vehicle is: |
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(A) a farm tractor or implement of husbandry; or |
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(B) a vehicle on which a farm tractor, [or] |
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implement of husbandry, or equipment used in the harvesting and |
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production of timber, other than a tractor, [or] implement, or |
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equipment being transported from one dealer to another, is being |
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moved by the owner of the tractor, [or] implement, or equipment or |
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by an agent or employee of the owner: |
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(i) to deliver the tractor, [or] implement, |
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or equipment to a new owner; |
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(ii) to transport the tractor, [or] |
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implement, or equipment to or from a mechanic for maintenance or |
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repair; or |
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(iii) in the course of an agricultural or |
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forestry operation; |
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(3) machinery that is used solely for drilling water |
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wells, including machinery that is a unit or a unit mounted on a |
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conventional vehicle or chassis, and that is traveling: |
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(A) during daylight on a public highway other |
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than a highway that is part of the national system of interstate and |
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defense highways; or |
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(B) for not more than 50 miles on a highway that |
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is part of the national system of interstate and defense highways; |
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(4) a vehicle owned or operated by a public, private, |
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or volunteer fire department; |
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(5) a vehicle registered under Section 502.431; or |
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(6) a recreational vehicle to which Section 622.903 |
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applies. |
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SECTION 4. Section 623.322(a), Transportation Code, as |
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added by Chapter 1135 (H.B. 2741), Acts of the 83rd Legislature, |
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Regular Session, 2013, is amended to read as follows: |
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(a) To qualify for a permit under this subchapter for a |
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vehicle or combination of vehicles, a person must: |
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(1) pay a permit fee of $900 [$1,500]; |
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(2) designate in the permit application the timber |
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producing counties described by Section 623.321(a) in which the |
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vehicle or combination of vehicles will be operated; and |
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(3) satisfy the security requirement of Section |
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623.012. |
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SECTION 5. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 6. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1171 passed the Senate on |
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April 29, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0; and that |
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the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 28, 2015, by the |
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following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1171 passed the House, with |
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amendment, on May 23, 2015, by the following vote: Yeas 139, |
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Nays 0, one present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |