Sec. 370.191. COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION PROCESSING SYSTEMS

(a) In this section, "port of entry" means a place designated by executive order of the president of the United States, by order of the United States secretary of the treasury, or by act of the United States Congress at which a customs officer is authorized to accept entries of merchandise, to collect duties, and to enforce the various provisions of the customs and navigation laws.

(b) This section applies only to a port of entry for land traffic from the United Mexican States and does not apply to a port of entry for marine traffic.

(c) To the extent an authority considers appropriate to expedite commerce and based on the Texas ITS/CVO Business Plan prepared by the department, the Department of Public Safety, and the comptroller, the authority shall provide for implementation by the appropriate agencies of the use of Intelligent Transportation Systems for Commercial Vehicle Operations (ITS/CVO) in any new commercial motor vehicle inspection facility constructed by the authority and in any existing facility located at a port of entry to which this section applies. The authority shall coordinate with other state and federal transportation officials to develop interoperability standards for the systems.

(d) If an authority constructs a facility at which commercial vehicle safety inspections are conducted, the facility may not be used solely for the purpose of conducting commercial motor vehicle inspections by the Department of Public Safety and the facility must include implementation of ITS/CVO technology by the appropriate agencies to support all commercial motor vehicle regulation and enforcement functions.

(e) As part of its implementation of technology under this section, an authority shall to the greatest extent possible as a requirement of the construction of the facility:

(1) enhance efficiency and reduce complexity for motor carriers by providing a single point of contact between carriers and regulating state and federal government officials and providing a single point of information, available to wireless access, about federal and state regulatory and enforcement requirements;

(2) prevent duplication of state and federal procedures and locations for regulatory and enforcement activities, including consolidation of collection of applicable fees;

(3) link information systems of the authority, the department, the Department of Public Safety, the comptroller, and, to the extent possible, the United States Department of Transportation and other appropriate regulatory and enforcement entities; and

(4) take other necessary action to:

(A) facilitate the flow of commerce;

(B) assist federal interdiction efforts;

(C) protect the environment by reducing idling time of commercial motor vehicles at the facilities;

(D) prevent highway damage caused by overweight commercial motor vehicles; and

(E) seek federal funds to assist in the implementation of this section.

(f) Construction of a facility to which this section applies is subject to the availability of federal funding for that purpose.

Added by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1325, Sec. 2.01, eff. June 21, 2003.