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Lawmaker says restitution bill would broaden liability; House votes it down
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Summary
Representative Collin explained his no vote on SB1413, saying the bill would extend criminal liability and uncapped restitution to some moving‑violation accidents; the House rejected SB1413 2–48 and later agreed to reconsider the measure.
During third reading of SB1413, Representative Collin rose to explain his vote and told colleagues the bill contains “a highly material change to the law.” Collin said the measure would extend the crime of causing serious physical injury or death to individuals who committed a moving violation in conjunction with an accident even when the violator did not cause the injury or death, producing situations such as multi‑vehicle collisions where a driver might be found guilty and liable for uncapped restitution despite not being the proximate cause.
"There is a highly material change to the law contained within this bill...So we can think of a situation like a multi car collision, where even though 1 person committed a moving violation, the injury to another person was caused by a third car," Collin said on the floor, and he urged colleagues to vote no. Representative Cruz spoke in support of Collin’s concerns and also voted no.
After explanations and recorded votes, the clerk announced the tally as 2 ayes, 48 nays, and 10 not voting; SB1413 failed. Later in the session Representative Martinez moved to have the House reconsider its action on SB1413 and to place the bill again on third reading, and that motion carried.
The transcript documents Collin’s floor explanation and the recorded tally but does not include the bill text or a post‑vote legal analysis; Collin’s account reflects his interpretation of the bill’s legal effect as read on the floor.
