BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	H.B. 1964
88R9292 MZM-D	By: Hernandez; Cain (Hall)
	Transportation
	5/4/2023
	Engrossed

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Motor vehicle accident reports contain general information about the accident and private information about the individuals involved, including personal addresses and telephone numbers. H.B. 2633 was passed during the 84th Legislature to protect individuals involved in motor vehicle accidents and their families from harassment by limiting the entities that could request motor vehicle accident reports to people directly involved in the accident or those who have a proper interest in the accident, including someone who has an established financial responsibility for a vehicle involved in the accident.

Since then, vehicle storage facilities have raised concerns that they face difficulty in accessing these reports despite having established financial responsibility for the vehicle. H.B. 1964 seeks to clarify that vehicle storage facilities are included in the list of entities that can receive motor vehicle accident reports. Furthermore, the release of reports also helps expedite the release of information.

H.B. 1964 amends current law relating to the release of a motor vehicle accident report to an employee or authorized representative of a vehicle storage facility.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends 550.065(c), Transportation Code, as follows:

(c) Requires the Texas Department of Transportation or the governmental entity, on written request and payment of any required fee, to release the information to:

(1)-(3) makes no changes to these subdivisions; or

(4) any person directly concerned in the accident or having a proper interest therein, including:

(A)-(J) makes no change to these paragraphs;

(K)-(L) makes nonsubstantive changes to these paragraphs; or

(M) an employee, or authorized representative of a vehicle storage facility, as defined by Section 2303.002 (Definitions), Occupations Code, that stored a vehicle involved in the accident.

SECTION 2. Effective date: September 1, 2023.