Bill Text: TX HB583 | 2013-2014 | 83rd Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the impoundment of a motor vehicle operated without financial responsibility and involved in an accident or traffic violation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2013-02-14 - Referred to Transportation [HB583 Detail]
Download: Texas-2013-HB583-Introduced.html
83R2379 JXC-D | ||
By: Kleinschmidt | H.B. No. 583 |
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relating to the impoundment of a motor vehicle operated without | ||
financial responsibility and involved in an accident or traffic | ||
violation. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter I, Chapter 601, | ||
Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER I. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL | ||
RESPONSIBILITY; IMPOUNDMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE FOR MULTIPLE OFFENSES | ||
SECTION 2. Chapter 601, Transportation Code, is amended by | ||
adding Subchapter I-1 to read as follows: | ||
SUBCHAPTER I-1. FAILURE TO MAINTAIN EVIDENCE OF FINANCIAL | ||
RESPONSIBILITY; IMPOUNDMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE AFTER ACCIDENT OR | ||
TRAFFIC VIOLATION | ||
Sec. 601.271. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter, "owner of a | ||
vehicle" and "vehicle storage facility" have the meanings assigned | ||
by Section 2303.002, Occupations Code. | ||
Sec. 601.272. IMPOUNDMENT OF MOTOR VEHICLE. A peace officer | ||
may impound or authorize a vehicle storage facility to remove and | ||
impound the vehicle of a person who: | ||
(1) is involved in a motor vehicle accident or is | ||
stopped for an alleged violation of a local traffic ordinance, a | ||
state traffic law, or any other law that applies to the operation of | ||
a vehicle on a roadway; and | ||
(2) operates a motor vehicle in violation of Section | ||
601.051. | ||
Sec. 601.273. RELEASE OF IMPOUNDED MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) A | ||
peace officer who impounds or authorizes the impoundment of a motor | ||
vehicle under Section 601.272 shall instruct the operator of the | ||
vehicle as to how the owner of the vehicle may recover the motor | ||
vehicle from the law enforcement agency that employs the peace | ||
officer or the authorized vehicle storage facility. | ||
(b) The law enforcement agency or authorized vehicle | ||
storage facility that impounds a motor vehicle under Section | ||
601.272 may release the vehicle to the owner of the vehicle only if | ||
the owner: | ||
(1) provides to the law enforcement agency or | ||
authorized vehicle storage facility evidence consistent with: | ||
(A) Section 601.052, showing that on the date the | ||
vehicle was impounded, the motor vehicle was exempt from the | ||
requirements of Section 601.051; | ||
(B) Section 601.053, showing that on that date | ||
the vehicle was in compliance with Section 601.051; or | ||
(C) Section 601.053, showing that financial | ||
responsibility for the vehicle has been obtained and is valid; | ||
(2) provides to the law enforcement agency or | ||
authorized vehicle storage facility a driver's license issued to | ||
the owner of the vehicle; and | ||
(3) pays all associated fees authorized under Chapters | ||
2303 and 2308, Occupations Code. | ||
(c) The law enforcement agency or authorized vehicle | ||
storage facility that impounds a motor vehicle under Section | ||
601.272 may release the vehicle to a person who is shown as a | ||
lienholder on the vehicle's certificate of title only if the | ||
person: | ||
(1) provides to the law enforcement agency or | ||
authorized vehicle storage facility a statement from an officer of | ||
the lienholder establishing that the obligation secured by the | ||
vehicle is in default; and | ||
(2) pays all associated fees authorized under Chapters | ||
2303 and 2308, Occupations Code. | ||
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies only | ||
to an offense committed on or after September 1, 2013. An offense | ||
committed before September 1, 2013, is governed by the law in effect | ||
on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is | ||
continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, | ||
an offense was committed before September 1, 2013, if any element of | ||
the offense occurred before that date. | ||
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |