HBA-CMT S.B. 888 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisS.B. 888 By: Ogden Transportation 4/19/2001 Engrossed BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently in Texas, noncommissioned personnel at ports-of-entry and at fixed weight inspection stations are not directly authorized to weigh a vehicle, require a vehicle to be weighed, or to direct a vehicle to the nearest scale. Senate Bill 888 authorizes certified noncommissioned officers to enforce truck weight laws at ports-of-entry and fixed inspection stations under certain conditions. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS Senate Bill 888 amends the Transportation Code to authorize a noncommissioned employee of the Department of Public Safety (DPS) who is certified by the public safety director and who is supervised by a DPS officer in a port of entry or a fixed site to weigh a vehicle, require a vehicle to be weighed, or require a vehicle to be driven to the nearest scale available. If a noncommissioned officer weighs a vehicle and determines that an enforcement action is warranted, only a supervising weight enforcement officer is authorized to take the action. The bill provides that except for the authority granted to a port-of-entry supervisor or inspector, weight enforcement officers have exclusive rights to enforce the general provisions relating to vehicle size and weight in any area of the state including all ports of entry between Texas and the United Mexican States. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.