The bill amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to clarify the civil liability of commercial motor vehicle owners or operators. It introduces new definitions and stipulations regarding the admissibility of evidence related to compliance with regulations or standards in civil actions. Specifically, it states that evidence of a defendant's failure to comply with a regulation is admissible only if it is relevant under other laws and demonstrates that such failure was a proximate cause of the injury or death in question. Additionally, the bill specifies that an employer's liability for damages caused by an employee operating a commercial vehicle is based solely on the principle of respondeat superior if the employer stipulates that the employee was acting within the scope of employment at the time of the incident.

Furthermore, the bill repeals certain sections of the existing law and modifies the conditions under which evidence can be presented in a bifurcated trial. It prohibits claimants from introducing evidence of ordinary negligence against an employer in the first phase of the trial if the employer has made the necessary stipulations. The changes in law will apply to actions commenced on or after the effective date of the Act, or to pending actions where the trial begins after that date. The Act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Civil Practice and Remedies Code 72.053, Civil Practice and Remedies Code 72.054 (Civil Practice and Remedies Code 72)