1-1     By:  Shapiro                                           S.B. No. 148
 1-2           (In the Senate - Filed December 6, 2000; January 11, 2001,
 1-3     read first time and referred to Committee on Jurisprudence;
 1-4     February 21, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee
 1-5     Substitute by the following vote:  Yeas 7, Nays 0;
 1-6     February 21, 2001, sent to printer.)
 1-7     COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 148                   By:  Duncan
 1-8                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-9                                   AN ACT
1-10     relating to the violation of certain traffic laws by a person
1-11     licensed by the United States Department of State or who claims
1-12     diplomatic or consular immunity.
1-13           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-14           SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 543, Transportation Code,
1-15     is amended by adding Section 543.011 to read as follows:
1-16           Sec. 543.011.  PERSONS LICENSED BY STATE DEPARTMENT OR
1-17     CLAIMING DIPLOMATIC OR CONSULAR IMMUNITY.  (a)  This section
1-18     applies to a person who:
1-19                 (1)  is stopped or issued a notice to appear by a peace
1-20     officer in connection with a violation of:
1-21                       (A)  this subtitle;
1-22                       (B)  Section 49.03 or 49.04, Penal Code; or
1-23                       (C)  Section 49.07 or 49.08, Penal Code,
1-24     involving operation of a motor vehicle; and
1-25                 (2)  presents to the peace officer a driver's license
1-26     issued by the United States Department of State or claims
1-27     immunities or privileges under 22 U.S.C. Chapter 6.
1-28           (b)  A peace officer who stops or issues a notice to appear
1-29     to a person to whom this section applies shall record all relevant
1-30     information from any driver's license or identification card
1-31     presented by the person or any statement made by the person
1-32     relating to immunities or privileges and promptly deliver the
1-33     record to the law enforcement agency that employs the peace
1-34     officer.
1-35           (c)  The law enforcement agency shall:
1-36                 (1)  as soon as practicable contact the United States
1-37     Department of State to verify the person's status and immunity, if
1-38     any; and
1-39                 (2)  not later than the fifth working day after the
1-40     date of the stop or issuance of the notice to appear, send to the
1-41     Bureau of Diplomatic Security Office of Foreign Missions of the
1-42     United States Department of State the following:
1-43                       (A)  a copy of any notice to appear issued to the
1-44     person and any accident report prepared; or
1-45                       (B)  if a notice to appear was not issued and an
1-46     accident report was not prepared, a written report of the incident.
1-47           (d)  This section does not affect application of a law
1-48     described by Subsection (a)(1) to a person to whom this section
1-49     applies.
1-50           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.
1-51                                  * * * * *