1-1 By: Flores (Senate Sponsor - Truan) H.B. No. 627 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 21, 1997; 1-3 April 22, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Economic Development; May 7, 1997, reported favorably by the 1-5 following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 7, 1997, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to proof of insurance filed with the Texas Department of 1-9 Public Safety by certain motorists uninsured at the time of an 1-10 accident. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Section 601.083, Transportation Code, is amended 1-13 by adding Subsection (e) to read as follows: 1-14 (e) If a person files a certificate of insurance to 1-15 establish financial responsibility under Section 601.153, the 1-16 certificate must state that the requirements of Section 601.153(b) 1-17 are satisfied. 1-18 SECTION 2. Section 601.153, Transportation Code, is amended 1-19 to read as follows: 1-20 Sec. 601.153. DEPOSIT OF SECURITY; EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL 1-21 RESPONSIBILITY. (a) The department may not suspend a driver's 1-22 license, vehicle registration, or nonresident's privilege under 1-23 this subchapter if the owner or operator: 1-24 (1) deposits with the department security in an amount 1-25 determined to be sufficient under Section 601.154 or 601.157 as 1-26 appropriate; and 1-27 (2) files evidence of financial responsibility as 1-28 required by this chapter. 1-29 (b) If the owner or operator chooses to establish financial 1-30 responsibility under Subsection (a)(2) by filing evidence of motor 1-31 vehicle liability insurance, the owner or operator must file a 1-32 certificate of insurance for a policy that has a policy period of 1-33 at least six months and for which the premium for the entire policy 1-34 period is paid in full. 1-35 (c) Notwithstanding Section 601.085, coverage for a motor 1-36 vehicle under a motor vehicle liability policy for which a person 1-37 files with the department a certificate of insurance under 1-38 Subsection (b) may not be canceled unless: 1-39 (1) the person no longer owns the motor vehicle; 1-40 (2) the person dies; 1-41 (3) the person has a permanent incapacity that renders 1-42 the person unable to drive the motor vehicle; or 1-43 (4) the person surrenders to the department the 1-44 person's driver's license and the vehicle registration for the 1-45 motor vehicle. 1-46 SECTION 3. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 1997. 1-47 (b) This Act applies only to a certificate of motor vehicle 1-48 liability insurance filed with the Texas Department of Public 1-49 Safety on or after January 1, 1998. A certificate of motor vehicle 1-50 liability insurance filed with the Texas Department of Public 1-51 Safety before January 1, 1998, is governed by the law as it existed 1-52 immediately before the effective date of this Act, and that law is 1-53 continued in effect for that purpose. 1-54 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-55 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-56 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-57 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-58 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-59 * * * * *