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OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF -
AUSTIN
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Bon3rablki R. D.' Strtiger . I
county httopney
Eall County
Ilanphia, Texas
Re: Do03 the failure ol' a
holder of a drivcp's
lfccnnao to m!ce the re-
port of fan. accident ret-
wired by Sea. 39, hrt.
V, H.B. 20, 47th Log.,
render such holder sub-
ject,to prooecution for
e micdemxnor and subjeot
to the penalty.p~~oscribed
by So. 44 thhcrooC? .,
We have @van due consldcrat.tion'to the question as
propounded I.n your opinion request, and which is restSated..
cbovo i
$ec$io:~ 39 of House D5.11 NC. 20 of the Regular-Ses-
lion of' the+Borty-seventh Legislafure,'rcods as folloun:
“Sec. 39. jrccidents to be reported by
persons involved,
"Every parson involved In an nocldent
resulting in death, injtixy, or nppwont prop-
orty dnrsge ol‘ 5'Sty Dull-am ($53) or more
vhcrc one or n:oro motor vchl.clcs me involved
and l:ho is the holder of nn opzrator's, com-
mrcicl op2rotor10, or ohaufizur's liceilse,
under the p~ovlolom of this Act, nhall I;!s::c
a report of SUO~ sccldcnt to th.6 D$gnrt;li%%t
Of Public Safety Vittiin forty-0lght ('!ii) hOLIP
Hofuml to mkc such rcnort sh?Al rsndcr the
y,onorabla Ii. D. strti~er, PcSe 2
c
. .’ holder of such liconso liable to susponeion
1 or revocation of such license. Reports ro- ’
quirod by this Section shall be deened pri-
vileged ccrmmications .’
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!. SectI.0; &Ii of aaid house Bill is the genord peaolty
clnuse, and 16 .in the fol2owl~ 1anSuage:
:..
d *:“$.3; . 44. Penalty for violation of Act. .
d ..
:
. ” “(a) It shall be a mladexeanor for any
person to violate any of the provisioim of
thi3 Act’unless such violation is by this
Act or other lows of ‘this State doolared to
be n felony. . . ’ ’
‘(b) In addition to any other pensltic~ ’
.hkreinbcPora ppovidod, and mleso another pen- ’.
qlty is in this Aot or by tho laws of this
State provided, every pera convicted of a
niedeneanor for ths violatLon of nay provision
of this Act. shall be punished bx f inenof not
nor6 timn Two Hundred Dollars (@03). ..
.-
It’ is our opinion that the above quoted provisions of
Ileuse Bf3.1 go. SO are mfYic&mt to constitute the failure of a
holder’of a drlver’u license to report the specified .character
of accident a penal. offense; and the Logiolaturo not hav1r.S. mado
tlis smie a felony, and .not hav?.ng provided a specific penclty,
t!lnt a vloZator shoul.8 be punished under the @mornI yrcd.3ion3
Of Section 44. Ve perceive no distinction from t!lo like situa-
t:ono in mny .othor statutory, czmctments. with Sonora2 penalty
~lousec; for e::‘&mpl.o, tha Liquor Control. Act, Article 65641,
vcrnonls Annotated Penal Code; VilcOxson vs. State, 134 Ye+.
Cr. x. 583, 116 s, F!. (26) 4.34.
Pourf3 vary truly
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~i?l’liclvm OCT$4 ].yal 4T’ory tmrE:nkb OF qAs