Case Information
*1 . OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL OF - AUSTIN . . . I
Bon3rablki R. D.' Strtiger county httopney
Eall County
Ilanphia, Texas
Re: Do03 the failure ol' a holder of a drivcp's lfccnnao to m!ce the re- ret- port of fan. accident 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 ($53) or more vhcrc one or n:oro motor vchl.clcs me involved and l:ho is the holder of nn opzrator's, com- or ohaufizur's mrcicl op2rotor10, liceilse, of this Act, nhall I;!s::c under the p~ovlolom a report of SUO~ sccldcnt to th.6 D$gnrt;li%%t Of Public Safety Vittiin forty-0lght ('!ii) hOLIP Hofuml to mkc such rcnort sh?Al rsndcr the *2 y,onorabla Ii. D. strti~er, PcSe 2 c holder of such liconso liable to susponeion
. .’ Reports ro- ’ or revocation of such license.
1 quirod by this Section shall be deened pri- vileged ccrmmications . ’ :- .
!. 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
. 4T’ory tmrE:nkb OF qAs ~i?l’liclvm OCT $4 ].yal