BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 186
79R523 DWS-D By: Lindsay
Transportation & Homeland Sec.
AUTHOR'S/SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, traffic crashes are the leading cause of death for teenage drivers, accounting for 40 percent of adolescent fatalities. This bill was filed in an attempt to deter reckless driving by teens. S.B. 186 authorizes courts to suspend a provisional driver's license if the holder of that license was operating a vehicle that caused an accident that was substantially the license holder's fault or if the driver created the imminent danger of serious bodily injury.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 521.307, Transportation Code, by adding Subsections (a-1) and (d), as follows:
(a-1) Requires the Department of Public Safety (department), on recommendation of a juvenile court or a court with jurisdiction over the holder of a provisional license, to suspend a provisional license if it is found by the court that the provisional license holder has committed an offense involving the operation of a motor vehicle that resulted in an accident that was substantially the license holder's fault or that resulted in or created the imminent danger of serious bodily injury.
(d) Defines "serious bodily injury."
SECTION 2. Amends Section 521.307(b), Transportation Code, to require the department to suspend the license for the period set by the court, rather than the juvenile court, not to exceed one year.
SECTION 3. Makes application of this Act prospective.
SECTION 4. Effective date: September 1, 2005.