1-1 By: McReynolds (Senate Sponsor - Ogden) H.B. No. 2230
1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House May 9, 2001;
1-3 May 10, 2001, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
1-4 Justice; May 11, 2001, reported favorably by the following vote:
1-5 Yeas 5, Nays 0; May 11, 2001, sent to printer.)
1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-7 AN ACT
1-8 relating to the reporting and investigation of motor vehicle
1-9 accidents.
1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-11 SECTION 1. Section 550.041(a), Transportation Code, is
1-12 amended to read as follows:
1-13 (a) A peace officer who is notified of a motor vehicle
1-14 accident resulting in injury to or death of a person or property
1-15 damage to an apparent extent of at least $1,000 [$500] may
1-16 investigate the accident and file justifiable charges relating to
1-17 the accident without regard to whether the accident occurred on
1-18 property to which this chapter applies.
1-19 SECTION 2. Section 550.061(a), Transportation Code, is
1-20 amended to read as follows:
1-21 (a) The operator of a vehicle involved in an accident shall
1-22 make a written report of the accident if the accident is not
1-23 investigated by a law enforcement officer and the accident resulted
1-24 in injury to or the death of a person or damage to the property of
1-25 any one person to an apparent extent of $1,000 [$500] or more.
1-26 SECTION 3. Section 550.062(a), Transportation Code, is
1-27 amended to read as follows:
1-28 (a) A law enforcement officer who in the regular course of
1-29 duty investigates a motor vehicle accident shall make a written
1-30 report of the accident if the accident resulted in injury to or the
1-31 death of a person or damage to the property of any one person to
1-32 the apparent extent of $1,000 [$500] or more.
1-33 SECTION 4. Section 601.004(a), Transportation Code, is
1-34 amended to read as follows:
1-35 (a) The operator of a motor vehicle that is involved in an
1-36 accident in this state shall report the accident to the department
1-37 not later than the 10th day after the date of the accident if:
1-38 (1) the accident is not investigated by a law
1-39 enforcement officer; and
1-40 (2) at least one person, including the operator,
1-41 sustained:
1-42 (A) bodily injury or death; or
1-43 (B) property damage to an apparent extent of at
1-44 least $1,000 [$500].
1-45 SECTION 5. (a) This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-46 (b) The changes in law made by this Act to Sections 550.041,
1-47 550.061, 550.062, and 601.004, Transportation Code, apply only to a
1-48 motor vehicle accident that occurs on or after the effective date
1-49 of this Act. A motor vehicle accident that occurred before the
1-50 effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect on the
1-51 date the accident occurred, and the former law is continued in
1-52 effect for that purpose.
1-53 * * * * *