85R10890 BEE-D
By: Hernandez H.B. No. 2371
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the release of a motor vehicle accident report to a
first lienholder of a vehicle damaged in the accident described by
the report.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 550.065(c), Transportation Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(c) On written request and payment of any required fee, the
department or the governmental entity shall release the information
to:
(1) an entity described by Subsection (b);
(2) the law enforcement agency that employs the peace
officer who investigated the accident and sent the information to
the department, including an agent of the law enforcement agency
authorized by contract to obtain the information;
(3) the court in which a case involving a person
involved in the accident is pending if the report is subpoenaed; or
(4) any person directly concerned in the accident or
having a proper interest therein, including:
(A) any person involved in the accident;
(B) the authorized representative of any person
involved in the accident;
(C) a driver involved in the accident;
(D) an employer, parent, or legal guardian of a
driver involved in the accident;
(E) the owner of a vehicle or property damaged in
the accident;
(F) a person who has established financial
responsibility for a vehicle involved in the accident in a manner
described by Section 601.051, including a policyholder of a motor
vehicle liability insurance policy covering the vehicle;
(G) an insurance company that issued an insurance
policy covering a vehicle involved in the accident;
(H) an insurance company that issued a policy
covering any person involved in the accident;
(I) a person under contract to provide claims or
underwriting information to a person described by Paragraph (F),
(G), or (H);
(J) a radio or television station that holds a
license issued by the Federal Communications Commission;
(K) a newspaper that is:
(i) a free newspaper of general circulation
or qualified under Section 2051.044, Government Code, to publish
legal notices;
(ii) published at least once a week; and
(iii) available and of interest to the
general public in connection with the dissemination of news; [or]
(L) any person who may sue because of death
resulting from the accident; or
(M) the first lienholder of a vehicle damaged in
the accident, including:
(i) a vehicle storage facility that is
licensed under Chapter 2303, Occupations Code, and is the first
lienholder of the vehicle; and
(ii) a towing company that is licensed
under Chapter 2308, Occupations Code, and is the first lienholder
of the vehicle.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.