Bill Caption

Relating to the release of information regarding motor vehicle accidents.

Fiscal Notes

No fiscal implication to State or local government.

Bill Analysis

HB 2633 would place more restrictions on who can gain access to the record of a motor vehicle accident to only those who are properly concerned, such as the driver, property owners, and individuals in the accident. The bill would create a new, redacted accident report that contain only the date, time, and location of accidents, along with the make and model of vehicles involved.

Vote Recommendation Notes

05/25/2015 update:

Minor changes were made that do not change the vote recommendation. The second chamber sponsor is Senator Perry.

First chamber recommendation:

This bill affirms the principle of limited government. After a vehicle accident, Texas law requires a filing of a report of the accident with the Texas Department of Transportation.  Because of this mandate, it is important for the government to protect confidential information to prevent bad actors from gaining access.  It is currently easy to obtain information to gain access to these vehicle accident reports, which can lead to identify theft or solicitation of individuals involved in the accident.  This bill would prevent easy access to privileged information and hold the government agency to the same standard that companies are held to regarding confidential data. For these reasons, we support HB 2633.