By:  Patterson                                         S.B. No. 526

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

                                       AN ACT

 1-1     relating to the making of a change to an accident report.

 1-2           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-3           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 550, Transportation Code,

 1-4     is amended by adding Section 550.068 to read as follows:

 1-5           Sec. 550.068.  CHANGING ACCIDENT REPORT.  (a)  Except as

 1-6     provided by Subsection (b), a change in or a modification of a

 1-7     written report of a motor vehicle accident prepared by a peace

 1-8     officer or the operator of a vehicle involved in an accident that

 1-9     alters a material fact in the report may be made only by the peace

1-10     officer or person who prepared the report.

1-11           (b)  A change in or a modification of the written report of

1-12     the accident may be made by a person other than the peace officer

1-13     or the operator of the vehicle if:

1-14                 (1)  the change is made by a written supplement to the

1-15     report; and

1-16                 (2)  the written supplement clearly indicates the name

1-17     of the person who originated the change.

1-18           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

 <         By:  Patterson