House Bill 3588
ARTICLE 8.  COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES

 

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Art. 1. Trans-Texas Corridor - Art. 2. Regional Mobility Authorities - Art. 3. Advance Acquisition of Property - Art. 4. Rail Facilities - Art. 5. Issuance of Bonds and Other Public Securities - Art. 6. Pass-Through Tolls - Art. 7. Conversion of Nontoll State Highway - Art. 8. Commercial Driver's Licenses - Art. 9. Motor Vehicle Sales Tax - Art. 10. Driver Responsibility - Art. 11. Disposition of Department of Public Safety Fees - Art. 12. Additional Court Costs - Art. 13. Statewide Coordination of Public Transportation - Art. 14. Conditional Grant Program - Art. 15 Texas Turnpike Authority - Art. 16. Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Standards - Art. 17. Nonrepairable and Salvage Motor Vehicles; Salvage Vehicle Dealers - Art. 18. Funding of Port Security, Projects, and Studies - Art. 19. Miscellaneous Provisions - Art. 20. General Provisions; Effective Date

ARTICLE 8.  COMMERCIAL DRIVER'S LICENSES

SECTION 8.01.  Section 522.003(25), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

(25)  "Serious traffic violation" means:                              
          (A)  a conviction arising from the driving of a commercial motor vehicle, other than a parking, vehicle weight, or vehicle defect violation, for:
                    (i) [(A)]  excessive speeding, involving a single charge of driving 15 miles per hour or more above the posted speed limit;
                    (ii) [(B)]  reckless driving, as defined by state or local law;
                    (iii) [(C)]  a violation of a state or local law related to motor vehicle traffic control, including a law regulating the operation of vehicles on highways, arising in connection with a fatal accident;
                    (iv) [(D)]  improper or erratic traffic lane change;
                    (v) [(E)]  following the vehicle ahead too closely; or
                    (vi) [(F)  operating] a [commercial motor vehicle in] violation of Sections [Section] 522.011 or 522.042; or
          (B)  a violation of Section 522.015.                

SECTION 8.02.  Section 522.081, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 522.081.  DISQUALIFICATION. 

          (a)  This subsection applies [only] to a violation committed while operating any motor vehicle, including a commercial motor vehicle.  A person who holds a commercial driver's license is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for:
                    (1)  60 days if convicted of:                                                
                              (A)  two serious traffic violations that occur within a three-year period; or
                              (B)  one violation of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing; or
                    (2)  120 days if convicted of:                                               
                              (A)  three serious traffic violations arising from separate incidents occurring within a three-year period;  or
                              (B)  two violations of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing that occur within a three-year period[; or
                    [(3)  one year if convicted of three violations of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing that occur within a three-year period].
          (b)  This subsection applies to a violation committed while operating any motor vehicle, including a commercial motor vehicle, except as provided by this subsection.  A person who holds a commercial driver's license is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for one year:
                    (1)  if convicted of three violations of a law that regulates the operation of a motor vehicle at a railroad grade crossing that occur within a three-year period;
                    (2)  on first conviction of:                                          
                              (A) [(1)]  driving a [commercial] motor vehicle under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance, including a violation of Section 49.04 or 49.07, Penal Code;
                              (B) [(2)  driving a commercial motor vehicle while the person's alcohol concentration was 0.04 or more;
                    [(3)  intentionally] leaving the scene of an accident involving a [commercial] motor vehicle driven by the person;
                              (C) [(4)]  using a [commercial] motor vehicle in the commission of a felony, other than a felony described by Subsection (d)(2);
                              (D) [(5)  refusing to submit to a test to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence in the person's body of a controlled substance or drug while driving a commercial motor vehicle;
                    [(6)]  causing the death of another person through the negligent or criminal operation of a [commercial] motor vehicle; or
                              (E) [(7)]  driving a commercial motor vehicle while the person's commercial driver's license is revoked, suspended, or canceled, or while the person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle, for an action or conduct that occurred while operating a commercial motor vehicle;
                    (3)  for refusing to submit to a test under Chapter 724 to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence in the person's body of a controlled substance or drug while operating a motor vehicle in a public place; or
                    (4)  if an analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine under Chapter 724 determines that the person:
                              (A)  had an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more, or that a controlled substance or drug was present in the person's body, while operating a commercial motor vehicle in a public place; or
                              (B)  had an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more while operating a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, in a public place.
          (c)  A person who holds a commercial driver's license is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle for three years if:
                    (1)  the person:                                                      
                              (A)  is convicted of an offense [If a violation] listed in Subsection (b)(2) and the vehicle being operated by the person was transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded; or
                              (B)  refuses to submit to a test under Chapter 724 to determine the person's alcohol concentration or the presence in the person's body of a controlled substance or drug while operating
a motor vehicle in a public place and the vehicle being operated by the person was transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded; or

                    (2)  an analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine under Chapter 724 determines that while transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded the person:
                              (A)  while operating a commercial motor vehicle in a public place had an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more, or a controlled substance or drug present in the person's body; or
                              (B)  while operating a motor vehicle, other than a commercial motor vehicle, in a public place had an alcohol concentration of 0.08 or more [(b)  occurred while the person was transporting a hazardous material required to be placarded, the person is disqualified for three years].
          (d)  A person is disqualified from driving a commercial motor vehicle for life:
                    (1)  if the person [:                                
                    [(1)]  is convicted [of] two or more times [violations] of an offense specified by Subsection (b)(2) [(b)], or a combination of those offenses, arising from two or more separate incidents; [or]
                    (2)  if the person uses a [commercial] motor vehicle in the commission of a felony involving:
                              (A)  the manufacture, distribution, or dispensing of a controlled substance; or
                              (B)  possession with intent to manufacture, distribute, or dispense a controlled substance; or
                    (3)  for any combination of two or more of the following, arising from two or more separate incidents:
                              (A)  a conviction of the person for an offense described by Subsection (b)(2);
                              (B)  a refusal by the person described by Subsection (b)(3); and   
                              (C)  an analysis of the person's blood, breath, or urine described by Subsection (b)(4).
          (e)  A person may not be issued a commercial driver's license and is disqualified from operating a commercial motor vehicle if, in connection with the person's operation of a commercial motor vehicle, the person commits an offense or engages in conduct that would disqualify the holder of a commercial driver's license from operating a commercial motor vehicle, or is determined to have had an alcohol concentration of 0.04 or more or to have had a controlled substance or drug present in the person's body.  The period of prohibition under this subsection is equal to the appropriate period of disqualification required by Subsections (a)-(d).
          (f)  In this section, "felony" means an offense under state or federal law that is punishable by death or imprisonment for a term of more than one year.

SECTION 8.03.  Section 522.087, Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 522.087.  PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO DISQUALIFICATION. 

          (a)  A person is automatically disqualified under Section 522.081(a)(1)(B), Section 522.081(b)(2) [522.081(b)(1), (3), (4), (6), or (7)], or Section 522.081(d)(2).  An appeal may not be taken from the disqualification.
          (b)  Disqualifying a person under Section 522.081(a), other than under Subdivision (1)(B) of that subsection, Section 522.081(b)(1), or Section 522.081(d)(1) or (3) is subject to the notice and hearing procedures of Sections 521.295-521.303.  An appeal of the disqualification is subject to Section 521.308.

SECTION 8.04.  Section 543.202(b), Transportation Code, is amended to read as follows:

          (b)  The record must be made on a form or by a data processing method acceptable to the department and must include:
                    (1)  the name, address, physical description, including race or ethnicity, date of birth, and driver's license number of the person charged;
                    (2)  the registration number of the vehicle involved;                        
                    (3)  whether the vehicle was a commercial motor vehicle as defined by Chapter 522 or was involved in transporting hazardous materials;
                    (4)  the person's social security number, if the person was operating a commercial motor vehicle or was the holder of a commercial driver's license or commercial driver learner's permit;
                    (5)  the date and nature of the offense, including whether the offense was a serious traffic violation as defined by Chapter 522;
                    (6)  whether a search of the vehicle was conducted and whether consent for the search was obtained;
                    (7)  the plea, the judgment, whether the individual was adjudicated under Article 45.0511, Code of Criminal Procedure, and whether bail was forfeited;
                    (8)  the date of conviction; and                                             
                    (9)  the amount of the fine or forfeiture.                                   

SECTION 8.05.  Section 543.101, Transportation Code, is repealed.          

SECTION 8.06. 

          (a)  This article takes effect June 1, 2005.                   
          (b)  Sections 522.081 and 522.087, Transportation Code, as amended by this article, apply only to conduct that is engaged in or to an offense that is committed on or after the effective date of this article.  Conduct that is engaged in or an offense committed before the effective date of this article is governed by Sections 522.081 and 522.087, Transportation Code, as those sections existed immediately before the effective date of this article, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.

 

This Page Last Updated: Wednesday January 17, 2007

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