BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3325

By: Lozano

Transportation

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Concerns have been raised regarding the use of terminology in state law that refers to traffic crashes as traffic "accidents." It has been suggested that traffic crashes are fixable problems, given that they are caused by dangerous roads and unsafe drivers. There have been calls to discontinue the inappropriate use of the word "accident" in statute by replacing it with the more accountable term "crash," which is already used by both the Texas Department of Transportation and U.S. Department of Transportation, in hopes of moving the needle on safer roadway design and more responsible driving practices. H.B. 3325 seeks to address this issue by updating the terminology in state law used to describe transportation-related crashes.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 3325 amends the following codes and Vernon's Texas Civil Statutes to change the terminology used to describe transportation-related accidents from "accident" to "crash":

·       Transportation Code;

·       Business & Commerce Code;

·       Civil Practice and Remedies Code;

·       Code of Criminal Procedure;

·       Education Code;

·       Family Code;

·       Government Code;

·       Insurance Code;

·       Occupations Code; and

·       Penal Code.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2021.