87R16601 SCL-F     By: Leach H.B. No. 19     Substitute the following for H.B. No. 19:     By:  Smith C.S.H.B. No. 19       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to civil liability of a commercial motor vehicle owner or   operator.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  The heading to Chapter 72, Civil Practice and   Remedies Code, is amended to read as follows:   CHAPTER 72. LIABILITY OF MOTOR VEHICLE OWNER OR OPERATOR [TO GUEST]          SECTION 2.  Chapter 72, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is   amended by adding Subchapter A, and a heading is added to that   subchapter to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER A. LIABILITY TO GUEST          SECTION 3.  Sections 72.001, 72.002, 72.003, and 72.004,   Civil Practice and Remedies Code, are transferred to Subchapter A,   Chapter 72, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, as added by this Act.          SECTION 4.  Sections 72.002 and 72.003, Civil Practice and   Remedies Code, are amended to read as follows:          Sec. 72.002.  LIMITATION NOT APPLICABLE. There is no   limitation under this subchapter [chapter] on the liability of an   owner or operator who is not related to the guest within the second   degree by consanguinity or affinity.          Sec. 72.003.  EFFECT ON OTHER LIABILITY. (a) This   subchapter [chapter] does not affect judicially developed or   developing rules under which a person is or is not totally or   partially immune from tort liability by virtue of family   relationship.          (b)  This subchapter [chapter] does not relieve the owner or   operator of a motor vehicle being demonstrated to a prospective   purchaser or relieve a public carrier of responsibility for   injuries sustained by a passenger being transported.          SECTION 5.  Chapter 72, Civil Practice and Remedies Code, is   amended by adding Subchapter B to read as follows:   SUBCHAPTER B. ACTIONS REGARDING COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLES          Sec. 72.051.  DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter:                (1)  "Accident" means an event in which operating a   commercial motor vehicle causes bodily injury or death.                (2)  "Civil action" means an action in which:                      (A)  a claimant seeks recovery of damages for   bodily injury or death caused in an accident; and                      (B)  a defendant:                            (i)  operated a commercial motor vehicle   involved in an accident; or                            (ii)  owned, leased, or otherwise held or   exercised legal control over a commercial motor vehicle or operator   of a commercial motor vehicle involved in an accident.                (3)  "Claimant" means a person, including a decedent's   estate, seeking or who has sought recovery of damages in a civil   action.  The term does not include:                      (A)  a passenger who, in a commercial transaction,   paid to ride in a commercial motor vehicle; or                      (B)  a passenger in a motor vehicle transporting   children to or from a school or school-sponsored event.                (4)  "Commercial motor vehicle" means a motor vehicle   being used for commercial purposes in interstate or intrastate   commerce to transport property or passengers, deliver or transport   goods, or provide services.  The term does not include a motor   vehicle used at the time of the accident primarily for personal,   family, or household purposes.                (5)  "Compensatory damages" has the meaning assigned by   Section 41.001.                (6)  "Employee" means a person who works for another   person for compensation. The term includes an "employee" as defined   by 49 C.F.R. Section 390.5 and any other agent or person for whom an   employer may be liable under respondeat superior.                (7)  "Exemplary damages" has the meaning assigned by   Section 41.001.                (8)  "Motor vehicle" means a self-propelled device in   which a person or property can be transported on a public highway.     The term includes a trailer when in use with a self-propelled device   described by this subdivision. The term does not include a device   used exclusively upon stationary rails or tracks.                (9)  "Operated," "operating," and "operation," when   used with respect to a commercial motor vehicle, means to cause the   vehicle to move or function in any respect, including driving,   stopping, or parking the vehicle or otherwise putting the vehicle   into use or operation. These terms include a commercial motor   vehicle that has become disabled.                (10)  "Video" means an electronic representation of a   sequence of images, with or without accompanying audio, depicting   either stationary or moving scenes, regardless of the manner in   which the sequence of images is captured, recorded, or stored.          Sec. 72.052.  BIFURCATED TRIAL IN CERTAIN COMMERCIAL MOTOR   VEHICLE ACCIDENT ACTIONS. (a) In a civil action under this   subchapter, on motion by any defendant, the court shall provide for   a bifurcated trial under this section.          (b)  A motion under this section shall be made not later than   the 120th day after the date the defendant bringing the motion files   the defendant's original answer.          (c)  The trier of fact shall determine liability for and the   amount of compensatory damages in the first phase of a bifurcated   trial under this section.          (d)  The trier of fact shall determine liability for and the   amount of exemplary damages in the second phase of a bifurcated   trial under this section.          (e)  For purposes of this section, a finding by the trier of   fact in the first phase of a bifurcated trial that an employee   defendant was negligent in operating an employer defendant's   commercial motor vehicle may serve as a basis for the claimant to   proceed in the second phase of the trial on a claim against the   employer defendant that requires a finding by the trier of fact that   the employee was negligent in operating the vehicle as a   prerequisite to the employer defendant being found negligent in   relation to the employee defendant's operation of the vehicle.          Sec. 72.053.  FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH REGULATIONS OR   STANDARDS. (a)  In this section, "regulation or standard" includes   a statute, regulation, rule, or order regulating equipment or   conduct adopted or promulgated by the federal government, a state   government, a local government, or a governmental agency or   authority.          (b)  In a civil action under this subchapter, evidence of a   defendant's failure to comply with a regulation or standard is   admissible in the first phase of a trial bifurcated under Section   72.052 only if, in addition to complying with other requirements of   law:                (1)  the evidence tends to prove that failure to comply   with the regulation or standard was a proximate cause of the bodily   injury or death for which damages are sought in the action; and                (2)  the regulation or standard is specific and   governs, or is an element of a duty of care applicable to, the   defendant, the defendant's employee, or the defendant's property or   equipment when any of those is at issue in the action.          (c)  Nothing in this section prevents a claimant from   pursuing a claim for exemplary damages relating to the defendant's   failure to comply with other applicable regulations or standards as   provided by Chapter 41, or from presenting evidence on that claim in   the second phase of a bifurcated trial.          Sec. 72.054.  LIABILITY FOR EMPLOYEE NEGLIGENCE IN OPERATING   COMMERCIAL MOTOR VEHICLE. (a) In a civil action under this   subchapter, an employer defendant's liability for damages caused by   the ordinary negligence of a person operating the defendant's   commercial motor vehicle shall be based only on respondeat superior   if the defendant stipulates that, at the time of the accident, the   person operating the vehicle was:                (1)  the defendant's employee; and                (2)  acting within the scope of employment.          (b)  If an employer defendant stipulates in accordance with   Subsection (a) and the trial is bifurcated under Section 72.052, a   claimant may not, in the first phase of the trial, present evidence   on an ordinary negligence claim against the employer defendant that   requires a finding by the trier of fact that the employer   defendant's employee was negligent in operating a vehicle as a   prerequisite to the employer defendant being found negligent in   relation to the employee defendant's operation of the vehicle.          (c)  Nothing in this section prevents a claimant from   pursuing:                (1)  an ordinary negligence claim against an employer   defendant for negligence in maintaining the commercial motor   vehicle involved in an accident;                (2)  an ordinary negligence claim against an employer   defendant for another claim that does not require a finding of   negligence by an employee as a prerequisite to an employer   defendant being found negligent for its conduct or omission, or   from presenting evidence on that claim in the first phase of a   bifurcated trial; or                 (3)  a claim for exemplary damages arising from an   employer defendant's conduct or omissions in relation to the   accident that is the subject of the action as provided by Chapter   41, or from presenting evidence on that claim in the second phase of   a bifurcated trial.          Sec. 72.055.  ADMISSIBILITY OF VISUAL DEPICTIONS OF   ACCIDENT. (a)  In a civil action under this subchapter, a court may   not require expert testimony for admission into evidence of a   photograph or video of a vehicle or object involved in an accident.          (b)  If properly authenticated under the Texas Rules of   Evidence, a photograph or video of a vehicle or object involved in   an accident is presumed admissible, even if the photograph or video   tends to support or refute an assertion regarding the severity of   damages or injury to an object or person involved in the accident   that is the subject of a civil action under this subchapter.          SECTION 6.  The changes in law made by this Act apply only to   an action commenced on or after the effective date of this Act.  An   action commenced before the effective date of this Act is governed   by the law applicable to the action immediately before the   effective date of this Act, and that law is continued in effect for   that purpose.          SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives   a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as   provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this   Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this   Act takes effect September 1, 2021.