Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB57 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 11/12/2018

                            86R1730 AAF-D
 By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 57


 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 AN ACT
 relating to the release of a motor vehicle accident report to an
 authorized representative of certain professionals.
 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 authorized representative of a medical,
 legal, or other professional involved in a suit arising from the
 provision of professional services by the professional in
 connection with the accident.
 SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.