Senate raises penalties for reckless driving, creating new felony tiers
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Summary
Senate Bill 27 99 creates new felony tiers for reckless driving based on harm caused, filling a gap between misdemeanor reckless driving and aggravated assault. The bill passed the Senate 30–1 after floor consideration.
The Texas Senate approved Senate Bill 27 99, which tightens criminal penalties for reckless driving by creating intermediate felony categories tied to the severity of harm.
Senator Bob Creighton, sponsor on the floor, said current law leaves prosecutors "only two extremes" — a low‑level misdemeanor or an aggravated‑assault second‑degree felony — and argued the change will allow penalties proportional to the resulting harm. "This bill creates a new proportionate offense under reckless driving, including a state‑jail felony for cases involving bodily injury or a third‑degree felony for those involving serious bodily injury," Creighton said in his floor remarks.
The bill moved through suspension to engrossment and final passage; the roll call on final passage recorded 30 ayes and 1 nay. The transcript records the formal motions and the final tally but does not include floor amendments in the provided excerpt.
The bill now proceeds in the legislative process following Senate passage.