| TO: | Honorable Joe Driver, Chair, House Committee on Law Enforcement |
| FROM: | John S. O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB489 by Berman (Relating to the duty of a passenger involved in certain accidents to render aid. ), Committee Report 1st House, Substituted |
The bill would amend the Transportation Code to require the passenger in a vehicle involved in an accident, if the person is 17 years of age or older, to remain at the scene of the accident to provide information specified in the bill or, if the passenger is unable to remain at the scene, to take certain actions required in the bill. The passenger would also be required to provide reasonable assistance to any person injured in the accident.
If the passenger were to commit a violation when the accident resulted in injury or death to another, the punishment would be confinement of not more than five years in state prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both. If the passenger were to commit a violation when the accident resulted only in damage to the vehicle(s), it would be a Class C misdemeanor offense if the damage to all vehicles is less than $200 or a Class B misdemeanor if the damage to all vehicles is $200 or more. A Class C offense is punishable by a fine of up to $500. A Class B offense is punishable by a fine not to exceed $2,000, confinement in county jail for not more than 180 days, or both.
The bill would take effect on September 1, 2007.
The cost to the state would depend on the number of persons who commit an offense that results in imprisonment and the number of years imposed by the courts. The impact is not expected to be significant.
| Source Agencies: |
| LBB Staff: | JOB, ES, DB
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