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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), and (g) |
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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 punishable by: |
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(1) a fine not to exceed $700; |
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(2) confinement in county jail for not more than 60 |
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days; or |
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(3) both the fine and the confinement. |
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(f) The court may order that the driver's license of a |
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person convicted of an offense under Subsection (e) be suspended |
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for not less than 30 days beginning on the date of conviction. |
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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 accused of a violation of |
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this section on community supervision under that article may |
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require the defendant to attend and present proof that the |
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defendant successfully completed an educational course related to |
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the attitudinal dynamics of driving. |
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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. |