Relating to the release of motor vehicle collision report information, the official text

S.B. No. 1598

AN ACT

relating to the release of motor vehicle collision report

information.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 550.065, Transportation Code, is amended

by amending Subsections (b), (c), and (f) and adding Subsection

(e-1) to read as follows:

(b) Except as provided by Subsection (c), (c-1), or (e), the

information is privileged and for the confidential use of:

(1) the department; and

(2) an agency of the United States, this state, or a

local government of this state that has use for the information for

[collision prevention] purposes of collision prevention or a

criminal investigation conducted by a law enforcement agency.

(c) On written request and payment of any required fee, the

department or the governmental entity shall release the information

to:

(1) an entity described by Subsection (b);

(2) the law enforcement agency that employs the peace

officer who investigated the collision and sent the information to

the department, including a person acting on behalf [an agent] of

the law enforcement agency who is authorized by contract to obtain

the information;

(3) the court in which a case involving a person

involved in the collision is pending if the report is subpoenaed; or

(4) any person directly concerned in the collision or

having a proper interest therein, including:

(A) any person involved in the collision;

(B) the authorized representative of any person

involved in the collision;

(C) a driver involved in the collision;

(D) an employer, parent, or legal guardian of a

driver involved in the collision;

(E) the owner of a vehicle or property damaged in

the collision;

(F) a person who has established financial

responsibility for a vehicle involved in the collision in a manner

described by Section 601.051, including a policyholder of a motor

vehicle liability insurance policy covering the vehicle;

(G) an insurance company that issued an insurance

policy covering a vehicle involved in the collision;

(H) an insurance company that issued a policy

covering any person involved in the collision;

(I) a person under contract to provide claims or

underwriting information to a person described by Paragraph (F),

(G), or (H);

(J) a radio or television station that holds a

license issued by the Federal Communications Commission;

(K) a newspaper that is:

(i) a free newspaper of general circulation

or qualified under Section 2051.044, Government Code, to publish

legal notices;

(ii) published at least once a week; and

(iii) available and of interest to the

general public in connection with the dissemination of news;

(L) any person who may sue because of death

resulting from the collision; or

(M) an employee or authorized representative of a

vehicle storage facility, as defined by Section 2303.002,

Occupations Code, that stored a vehicle involved in the collision

[accident].

(e-1) In addition to the information required to be released

under Subsection (c), the governmental entity may release a vehicle

identification number and specific collision information relating

to that vehicle to a person described by Subsection (c)(2).

(f) The department or the governmental entity when

releasing information under Subsection (c-1), [or] (e), or (e-1):

(1) may not release personal information, as defined

by Section 730.003; and

(2) shall withhold or redact the following items:

(A) the first, middle, and last name of any

person listed in a collision report, including a vehicle driver,

occupant, owner, or lessee, a bicyclist, a pedestrian, or a

property owner;

(B) the number of any driver's license,

commercial driver's license, or personal identification

certificate issued to any person listed in a collision report;

(C) the date of birth, other than the year, of any

person listed in a collision report;

(D) the address, other than zip code, and

telephone number of any person listed in a collision report;

(E) the license plate number of any vehicle

listed in a collision report;

(F) the name of any insurance company listed as a

provider of financial responsibility for a vehicle listed in a

collision report;

(G) the number of any insurance policy issued by

an insurance company listed as a provider of financial

responsibility;

(H) the date the peace officer who investigated

the collision was notified of the collision;

(I) the date the investigating peace officer

arrived at the collision site;

(J) the badge number or identification number of

the investigating officer;

(K) the date on which any person who died as a

result of the collision died;

(L) the date of any commercial motor vehicle

report; and

(M) the place where any person injured or killed

in a collision was taken and the person or entity that provided the

transportation.

SECTION 2. To the extent of any conflict, this Act prevails

over another Act of the 89th Legislature, Regular Session, 2025,

relating to nonsubstantive additions to and corrections in enacted

codes.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.

______________________________
______________________________

President of the Senate
Speaker of the House

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1598 passed the Senate on

April 10, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0.

______________________________

Secretary of the Senate

I hereby certify that S.B. No. 1598 passed the House on

May 23, 2025, by the following vote: Yeas 140, Nays 0, one

present not voting.

______________________________

Chief Clerk of the House

Approved:

______________________________

Date

______________________________

Governor