1-1 By: Delisi (Senate Sponsor - Duncan) H.B. No. 853
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 1997;
1-3 May 9, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on Economic
1-4 Development; May 18, 1997, reported favorably by the following
1-5 vote: Yeas 10, Nays 0; May 18, 1997, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the prosecution of an offense related to the failure to
1-9 maintain financial responsibility for a motor vehicle.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 601.193, Transportation Code, is amended
1-12 to read as follows:
1-13 Sec. 601.193. DEFENSE: FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY [INSURANCE]
1-14 IN EFFECT AT TIME OF ALLEGED OFFENSE. [(a)] It is a defense to
1-15 prosecution under Section 601.191 or 601.195 [this chapter] that
1-16 the person charged produces one of the documents listed in Section
1-17 601.053(a) [in court a motor vehicle liability insurance policy or
1-18 a certificate of self-insurance previously issued to that person]
1-19 that was valid at the time that the offense is alleged to have
1-20 occurred.
1-21 [(b) If the person charged produces the policy or
1-22 certificate described by Subsection (a), the court shall dismiss
1-23 the charge.]
1-24 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
1-25 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-26 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-27 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
1-28 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
1-29 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
1-30 passage, and it is so enacted.
1-31 * * * * *