Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2564 Compare Versions

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Version 2 (New)

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1	1	88R26007 AJZ-D
2	2	By: Anchía, Guillen, Frazier, et al. H.B. No. 2564
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the investigation of certain motor vehicle accidents.
8	8	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9	SECTION 1. The heading to Section 550.041, Transportation
10	10	Code, is amended to read as follows:
11	11	Sec. 550.041. INVESTIGATION BY PEACE OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE OF
12	12	LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY.
13	13	SECTION 2. Section 550.041, Transportation Code, is amended
14	14	by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (c) to read as
15	15	follows:
16	16	(a) A peace officer who is notified of a motor vehicle
17	17	accident resulting in injury to or death of a person or property
18	18	damage to an apparent extent of at least $5,000 [$1,000] may
19	19	investigate the accident and file justifiable charges relating to
20	20	the accident without regard to whether the accident occurred on
21	21	property to which this chapter applies.
22	22	(c) An employee of a law enforcement agency who is not a
23	23	peace officer and who has successfully completed a training program
24	24	on investigating motor vehicle accidents that satisfies the
25	25	applicable requirements of Section 1701.253, Occupations Code, may
26	26	investigate a motor vehicle accident, without regard to whether the
27	27	accident occurred on property to which this chapter applies, if:
28	28	(1) no offense was committed during the accident other
29	29	than a misdemeanor punishable by fine only;
30	30	(2) no injury or death of a person occurred as a result
31	31	of the accident; and
32	32	(3) any property damage that resulted from the
33	33	accident was to an apparent extent of less than $5,000.
34	34	SECTION 3. The heading to Section 550.062, Transportation
35	35	Code, is amended to read as follows:
36	36	Sec. 550.062. OFFICER'S OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY
37	37	EMPLOYEE'S ACCIDENT REPORT.
38	38	SECTION 4. Section 550.062, Transportation Code, is amended
39	39	to read as follows:
40	40	Sec. 550.062. OFFICER'S ACCIDENT REPORT. (a) A law
41	41	enforcement officer who in the regular course of duty investigates
42	42	a motor vehicle accident shall make a written report of the accident
43	43	if the accident resulted in injury to or the death of a person or
44	44	damage to the property of any one person to the apparent extent of
45	45	$5,000 [$1,000] or more.
46	46	(a-1) An employee of a law enforcement agency who is not a
47	47	peace officer and who investigates a motor vehicle accident in
48	48	accordance with Section 550.041(c) shall make a written report
49	49	summarizing the findings of the investigation.
50	50	(b) The report required by Subsection (a) or (a-1) must be
51	51	filed electronically with the department not later than the 10th
52	52	day after the date of the accident.
53	53	(b-1) If the motor vehicle accident involved a combination
54	54	of vehicles operating under a permit issued under Section 623.402,
55	55	the report required by Subsection (a) or (a-1) must include the
56	56	weight and the number of axles of the vehicle combination.
57	57	(c) This section applies without regard to whether the
58	58	officer or law enforcement agency employee, as applicable,
59	59	investigates the accident at the location of the accident and
60	60	immediately after the accident or afterwards by interviewing those
61	61	involved in the accident or witnesses to the accident.
62	62	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.