BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1964

By: Hernandez

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Motor vehicle accident reports contain general information about the accident and private information about the individuals involved, including personal addresses and telephone numbers. The legislature passed H.B. 2633 during the 84th Legislative Session to protect individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents and their families from harassment by limiting the entities that could request motor vehicle accident reports to people directly involved in the accident or those who have a proper interest in the accident, including someone who has an established financial responsibility for a vehicle involved in the accident. Since then, vehicle storage facilities have raised concerns that they face difficulty in accessing these reports despite having established a financial responsibility for the vehicle. H.B. 1964 seeks to clarify that vehicle storage facilities are included in the list of entities that are able to receive motor vehicle accident reports.

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. 1964 amends the Transportation Code to include an employee or authorized representative of a vehicle storage facility among the individuals or entities to whom the Texas Department of Transportation must release certain motor vehicle accident report information, on written request and payment of any required fee, if the facility meets the following criteria:

· the facility is owned by a person other than a governmental entity;

· the facility is used to store or park at least 10 vehicles each year; and

· the facility stored the vehicle involved in the accident.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.