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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the penalty for the offense of reckless driving. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 545.401, Transportation Code, is amended |
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by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsections (e), (f), (g), |
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and (h) to read as follows: |
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(b) Except as provided by Subsection (e), an [An] offense |
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under this section is a misdemeanor punishable by: |
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(1) a fine not to exceed $200; |
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(2) confinement in county jail for not more than 30 |
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days; or |
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(3) both the fine and the confinement. |
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(e) If an offense under this section results in the serious |
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bodily injury or death of an operator or passenger of another motor |
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vehicle, the offense is a Class B misdemeanor. |
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(f) The court may: |
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(1) order that the driver's license of a person |
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convicted of an offense under Subsection (e) be suspended for not |
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less than 30 days beginning on the date of conviction; and |
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(2) require the person to attend and present proof |
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that the person successfully completed a driving safety course |
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approved under Chapter 1001, Education Code, before the person's |
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driver's license may be reinstated. |
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(g) A judge, acting under Article 42.12, Code of Criminal |
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Procedure, who elects to place a defendant on community supervision |
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under that article may require the defendant to attend and present |
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proof that the defendant successfully completed a driving safety |
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course approved under Chapter 1001, Education Code. |
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(h) A person who is subject to prosecution under both this |
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section and another section of this or any other code may be |
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prosecuted under either or both sections. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of |
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this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of |
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this Act if any element of the offense was committed before that |
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date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |