1-1     By:  Patterson                                         S.B. No. 526

 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed February 10, 1997; February 13, 1997,

 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal Justice;

 1-4     March 19, 1997, reported adversely, with favorable Committee

 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 0; March 19, 1997,

 1-6     sent to printer.)

 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 526                   By:  Nelson

 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-9                                   AN ACT

1-10     relating to the making of a change to an accident report.

1-11           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-12           SECTION 1.  Subchapter D, Chapter 550, Transportation Code,

1-13     is amended by adding Section 550.068 to read as follows:

1-14           Sec. 550.068.  CHANGING ACCIDENT REPORT.  (a)  Except as

1-15     provided by Subsection (b), a change in or a modification of a

1-16     written report of a motor vehicle accident prepared by a peace

1-17     officer or the operator of a vehicle involved in an accident that

1-18     alters a material fact in the report may be made only by the peace

1-19     officer or person who prepared the report.

1-20           (b)  A change in or a modification of the written report of

1-21     the accident may be made by a person other than the peace officer

1-22     or the operator of the vehicle if:

1-23                 (1)  the change is made by a written supplement to the

1-24     report; and

1-25                 (2)  the written supplement clearly indicates the name

1-26     of the person who originated the change.

1-27           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-28           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-29     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-30     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-31     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-32     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

1-33                                  * * * * *