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AN ACT
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relating to the collection of data by the Texas Department of |
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Transportation regarding bridge collapses. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 201.805, Transportation Code, as added |
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by Chapter 1407 (S.B. 766), Acts of the 80th Legislature, Regular |
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Session, 2007, is amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 201.805. ACCIDENT REPORTS. (a) The department shall: |
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(1) tabulate and analyze the vehicle accident reports |
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it receives; |
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(2) annually or more frequently publish statistical |
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information derived from the accident reports as to the number, |
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cause, and location of highway accidents, including information |
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regarding the number of: |
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(A) accidents involving injury to, death of, or |
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property damage to a bicyclist or pedestrian; and |
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(B) fatalities caused by a bridge collapse, as |
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defined by Section 550.081; and |
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(3) not later than December 15 of each even-numbered |
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year provide to the governor and the legislature: |
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(A) an abstract of the statistical information |
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for the biennium ending on the preceding August 31; and |
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(B) a report with the department's conclusions, |
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findings, and recommendations for decreasing highway accidents and |
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increasing highway and bridge safety. |
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(b) The department shall provide electronic access to the |
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system containing the accident reports so that the Department of |
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Public Safety can perform its duties, including the duty to make |
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timely entries on driver records. |
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SECTION 2. Section 550.081, Transportation Code, as amended |
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by Chapters 74 (H.B. 423) and 1407 (S.B. 766), Acts of the 80th |
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Legislature, Regular Session, 2007, is reenacted and amended to |
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read as follows: |
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Sec. 550.081. REPORT OF MEDICAL EXAMINER OR JUSTICE OF THE |
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PEACE. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Department" means the Texas Department of |
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Transportation. |
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(2) "Bridge collapse" means the abrupt failure of the |
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basic structure of a bridge that impairs the ability of the bridge |
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to serve its intended purpose and that damages a highway located on |
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or under the structure. |
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(b) A medical examiner or justice of the peace acting as |
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coroner in a county that does not have a medical examiner's office |
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or that is not part of a medical examiner's district shall submit a |
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report in writing to the department [Texas Department of
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Transportation] of the death of a person that was the result of a |
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traffic accident or bridge collapse: |
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(1) to which this chapter applies; and |
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(2) that occurred within the jurisdiction of the |
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medical examiner or justice of the peace in the preceding calendar |
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quarter. |
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(c) [(b)] The report must be submitted before the 11th day |
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of each calendar month and include: |
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(1) the name of the deceased and a statement as to |
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whether the deceased was: |
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(A) the operator of or a passenger in a vehicle |
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involved in the accident; or |
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(B) a pedestrian or other nonoccupant of a |
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vehicle; |
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(2) the date of the accident and the name of the county |
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in which the accident occurred, and, if a bridge collapse, the |
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location of the bridge in that county; |
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(3) the name of any laboratory, medical examiner's |
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office, or other facility that conducted toxicological testing |
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relative to the deceased; and |
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(4) the results of any toxicological testing that was |
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conducted. |
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(d) [(c)] A report required by this section shall be sent |
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to: |
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(1) the crash records bureau of the department at its |
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headquarters in Austin; or |
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(2) any other office or bureau of the department that |
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the department designates. |
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(e) [(d)] If toxicological test results are not available |
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to the medical examiner or justice of the peace on the date a report |
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must be submitted, the medical examiner or justice shall: |
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(1) submit a report that includes the statement |
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"toxicological test results unavailable"; and |
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(2) submit a supplement to the report that contains |
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the information required by Subsections (c)(3) [(b)(3)] and (4) as |
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soon as practicable after the toxicological test results become |
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available. |
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(f) [(e)] The department shall prepare and when requested |
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supply to medical examiners' offices and justices of the peace the |
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forms necessary to make the reports required by this section. |
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SECTION 3. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails |
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over another Act of the 81st Legislature, Regular Session, 2009, |
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relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted |
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codes. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |
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______________________________ |
______________________________ |
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President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1218 passed the Senate on |
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April 9, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. |
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______________________________ |
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Secretary of the Senate |
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I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1218 passed the House on |
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May 26, 2009, by the following vote: Yeas 142, Nays 0, one |
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present not voting. |
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______________________________ |
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Chief Clerk of the House |
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Approved: |
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______________________________ |
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Date |
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______________________________ |
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Governor |