| 1 | 1 | | 86R1730 AAF-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 57 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to the release of a motor vehicle accident report to an |
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| 8 | 8 | | authorized representative of certain professionals. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Section 550.065(c), Transportation Code, is |
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| 11 | 11 | | amended to read as follows: |
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| 12 | 12 | | (c) On written request and payment of any required fee, the |
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| 13 | 13 | | department or the governmental entity shall release the information |
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| 14 | 14 | | to: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (1) an entity described by Subsection (b); |
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| 16 | 16 | | (2) the law enforcement agency that employs the peace |
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| 17 | 17 | | officer who investigated the accident and sent the information to |
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| 18 | 18 | | the department, including an agent of the law enforcement agency |
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| 19 | 19 | | authorized by contract to obtain the information; |
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| 20 | 20 | | (3) the court in which a case involving a person |
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| 21 | 21 | | involved in the accident is pending if the report is subpoenaed; or |
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| 22 | 22 | | (4) any person directly concerned in the accident or |
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| 23 | 23 | | having a proper interest therein, including: |
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| 24 | 24 | | (A) any person involved in the accident; |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) the authorized representative of any person |
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| 26 | 26 | | involved in the accident; |
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| 27 | 27 | | (C) a driver involved in the accident; |
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| 28 | 28 | | (D) an employer, parent, or legal guardian of a |
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| 29 | 29 | | driver involved in the accident; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (E) the owner of a vehicle or property damaged in |
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| 31 | 31 | | the accident; |
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| 32 | 32 | | (F) a person who has established financial |
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| 33 | 33 | | responsibility for a vehicle involved in the accident in a manner |
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| 34 | 34 | | described by Section 601.051, including a policyholder of a motor |
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| 35 | 35 | | vehicle liability insurance policy covering the vehicle; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (G) an insurance company that issued an insurance |
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| 37 | 37 | | policy covering a vehicle involved in the accident; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (H) an insurance company that issued a policy |
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| 39 | 39 | | covering any person involved in the accident; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (I) a person under contract to provide claims or |
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| 41 | 41 | | underwriting information to a person described by Paragraph (F), |
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| 42 | 42 | | (G), or (H); |
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| 43 | 43 | | (J) a radio or television station that holds a |
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| 44 | 44 | | license issued by the Federal Communications Commission; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (K) a newspaper that is: |
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| 46 | 46 | | (i) a free newspaper of general circulation |
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| 47 | 47 | | or qualified under Section 2051.044, Government Code, to publish |
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| 48 | 48 | | legal notices; |
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| 49 | 49 | | (ii) published at least once a week; and |
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| 50 | 50 | | (iii) available and of interest to the |
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| 51 | 51 | | general public in connection with the dissemination of news; [or] |
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| 52 | 52 | | (L) any person who may sue because of death |
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| 53 | 53 | | resulting from the accident; or |
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| 54 | 54 | | (M) the authorized representative of a medical, |
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| 55 | 55 | | legal, or other professional involved in a suit arising from the |
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| 56 | 56 | | provision of professional services by the professional in |
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| 57 | 57 | | connection with the accident. |
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| 58 | 58 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |
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