Enrolled Bill Summary

House Bill 681 amends the Texas Tort Claims Act in regard to the liability of the Texas Department of Criminal Justice in certain motor vehicle and motor-driven equipment accidents. The act clarifies that the department is liable for property damage, personal injury, or death if it arises from the negligence of an inmate operating such equipment at the request of a department employee and if the inmate would have been personally liable as a private citizen. House Bill 681 also prevents a claimant from naming the department and the inmate as codefendants in a civil action and clarifies that a judgment or settlement of a claim involving either the department or the inmate prevents a related cause of action from being filed against the other.