Bill Text: TX SB1495 | 2021-2022 | 87th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to certain criminal offenses related to highways and motor vehicles; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-18 - Effective on 9/1/21 [SB1495 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB1495-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to certain criminal offenses related to highways and motor vehicles; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal penalty.
Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill
Status: (Passed) 2021-06-18 - Effective on 9/1/21 [SB1495 Detail]
Download: Texas-2021-SB1495-Introduced.html
87R11913 AJZ-D | ||
By: Huffman | S.B. No. 1495 |
|
||
|
||
relating to certain criminal offenses related to highways and motor | ||
vehicles; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal | ||
penalty. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 42.03, Penal Code, is amended by | ||
amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (d) to read as | ||
follows: | ||
(c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor, | ||
except that the offense is a state jail felony if it is shown on the | ||
trial of the offense that the offense was committed in furtherance | ||
of: | ||
(1) an offense under Section 545.420, Transportation | ||
Code; or | ||
(2) a reckless driving exhibition. | ||
(d) For purposes of this section, "reckless driving | ||
exhibition" means an operator of a motor vehicle intentionally: | ||
(1) breaking the traction of the vehicle's rear tires; | ||
(2) spinning the vehicle's rear tires continuously by | ||
pressing the accelerator and increasing the engine speed; and | ||
(3) steering the vehicle in a manner designed to | ||
rotate the vehicle. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 545.401(b), Transportation Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(b) An offense under this section is a misdemeanor | ||
punishable by: | ||
(1) a fine of not less than $1,000 or more than $4,000 | ||
[ |
||
(2) confinement in [ |
||
exceed one year [ |
||
(3) both the fine and the confinement. | ||
SECTION 3. Subchapter I, Chapter 545, Transportation Code, | ||
is amended by adding Section 545.4205 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 545.4205. SPECTATOR OF RECKLESS DRIVING EXHIBITION OR | ||
RACING ON A HIGHWAY PROHIBITED; CRIMINAL OFFENSE. (a) A person | ||
commits an offense if the person knowingly attends as a spectator: | ||
(1) an exhibition of conduct prohibited under Section | ||
545.420 or a reckless driving exhibition, as defined by Section | ||
42.03, Penal Code; or | ||
(2) preparations for an event described by Subdivision | ||
(1). | ||
(b) For the purposes of Subsection (a), a person is present | ||
at an exhibition if the person is in proximity to the exhibition or | ||
preparations for an exhibition. | ||
(c) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor | ||
punishable by a fine not to exceed $500. | ||
SECTION 4. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An | ||
offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed | ||
by the law in effect when 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 the effective date of this | ||
Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. | ||
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |