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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the duty of a passenger involved in certain accidents to |
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render aid; providing a criminal penalty. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 550, Transportation Code, |
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is amended by adding Section 550.027 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 550.027. PASSENGER'S DUTY TO RENDER AID. (a) The |
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passenger of a vehicle involved in an accident commits an offense |
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if: |
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(1) a reasonable person would believe that bodily |
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injury or death may have resulted from the accident; |
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(2) the passenger fails to provide any person injured |
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in the accident reasonable assistance, including transporting or |
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making arrangements for transporting the person to a physician or |
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hospital for medical treatment if it is apparent that treatment is |
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necessary, or if the injured person requests the transportation; |
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and |
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(3) the passenger could assist the person without |
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placing the passenger in danger of suffering serious bodily injury |
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or death. |
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(b) An offense under this section is punishable by: |
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(1) imprisonment in the institutional division of the |
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Texas Department of Criminal Justice for not more than five years or |
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confinement in the county jail for not more than one year; |
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(2) a fine not to exceed $5,000; or |
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(3) both the fine and the imprisonment or confinement. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |