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 a defendant's compliance with regulations or standards. Specifically, it states that evidence of non-compliance can be presented in a trial only if it is admissible under other laws and demonstrates that such non-compliance 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 restricts the presentation of evidence regarding ordinary negligence claims against an employer in the first phase of a bifurcated trial, unless it is related to the employee's negligence in operating the vehicle. It repeals certain existing provisions that may conflict with these new stipulations. The changes will apply to actions commenced on or after the effective date of the Act, or pending actions where the trial begins after that date, with the Act 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)