By McReynolds H.B. No. 2230
77R7481 JD-F
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the reporting and investigation of motor vehicle
1-3 accidents.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Section 550.041(a), Transportation Code, is
1-6 amended to read as follows:
1-7 (a) A peace officer who is notified of a motor vehicle
1-8 accident resulting in injury to or death of a person or property
1-9 damage to an apparent extent of at least $1,000 [$500] may
1-10 investigate the accident and file justifiable charges relating to
1-11 the accident without regard to whether the accident occurred on
1-12 property to which this chapter applies.
1-13 SECTION 2. Section 550.061(a), Transportation Code, is
1-14 amended to read as follows:
1-15 (a) The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident shall
1-16 make a written report of the accident if the accident is not
1-17 investigated by a law enforcement officer and the accident resulted
1-18 in injury to or the death of a person or damage to the property of
1-19 any one person to an apparent extent of $1,000 [$500] or more.
1-20 SECTION 3. Section 550.062(a), Transportation Code, is
1-21 amended to read as follows:
1-22 (a) A law enforcement officer who in the regular course of
1-23 duty investigates a motor vehicle accident shall make a written
1-24 report of the accident if the accident resulted in injury to or the
2-1 death of a person or damage to the property of any one person to
2-2 the apparent extent of $1,000 [$500] or more.
2-3 SECTION 4. Section 550.068(a), Transportation Code, is
2-4 amended to read as follows:
2-5 (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a change in or a
2-6 modification of a written report of a motor vehicle accident
2-7 prepared by a peace officer or the operator of a vehicle involved
2-8 in an accident that alters a material fact in the report may be
2-9 made only by:
2-10 (1) the peace officer or person who prepared the
2-11 report; or
2-12 (2) a peace officer employed by the same law
2-13 enforcement agency as the officer who prepared the report who is in
2-14 the preparing officer's chain of command and holds a higher rank or
2-15 position than the preparing officer.
2-16 SECTION 5. Section 601.004(a), Transportation Code, is
2-17 amended to read as follows:
2-18 (a) The operator of a motor vehicle that is involved in an
2-19 accident in this state shall report the accident to the department
2-20 not later than the 10th day after the date of the accident if:
2-21 (1) the accident is not investigated by a law
2-22 enforcement officer; and
2-23 (2) at least one person, including the operator,
2-24 sustained:
2-25 (A) bodily injury or death; or
2-26 (B) property damage to an apparent extent of at
2-27 least $1,000 [$500].
3-1 SECTION 6. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
3-2 (b) The changes in law made by this Act to Sections 550.041,
3-3 550.061, 550.062, and 601.004, Transportation Code, apply only to a
3-4 motor vehicle accident that occurs on or after the effective date
3-5 of this Act. A motor vehicle accident that occurred before the
3-6 effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect on the
3-7 date the accident occurred, and the former law is continued in
3-8 effect for that purpose.
3-9 (c) The changes in law made by this Act to Section 550.068,
3-10 Transportation Code, apply to a report of a motor vehicle accident,
3-11 regardless of whether the report was prepared before, on, or after
3-12 the effective date of this Act.