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2025 Op. Tex. Att'y Gen. 1 (2025)

handle is hein.sag/sagtx0227 and id is 1 raw text is: 






                                    KEN PAXTON
                                ATTORNEY  GENERAL  OF TEXAS


                                     January 22, 2025



The Honorable  Donna Campbell,  M.D.
Chair, Senate Committee on Nominations
Texas State Senate
Post Office Box 12068
Austin, Texas 78711-2068


       Opinion  No. KP-0477

       Re: Whether  electronic notice captured by a QR code on a traffic violation card satisfies
       the notice requirements of Transportation Code sections 543.003 and 543.004
       (RQ-0552-KP)

Dear Senator Campbell:

       You  ask about a traffic violation card containing certain information, including a QR code,
that provides the alleged violator access to the complete citation electronically.' Specifically,
you ask whether electronic notice captured by a QR [c]ode on the card satisfies the requirements
of Transportation Code sections 543.003 and 543.004, provided that the . . . [c]ard provides on
its face the time, the place to appear, as well as the citation number. Request Letter at 1. You limit
your question to the three ticketing circumstances in Transportation Code sections 543.003 and
543.004, namely: (1) speeding; (2) use of a wireless communication device while driving; and
(3) violating the State's open container law. Id.

       Background:   traditional citations, citation machines, and e-citations.

       Transportation Code sections 543.003 and 543.004 concern certain non-custodial arrests
for misdemeanor  violations of Title 7, subtitle C of the Transportation Code. See generally TEX.
TRANSP.  CODE   §§ 543.003-.004 (governing written notices to appear). You tell us that law







       1 Letter and Exhibits from Hon. Donna Campbell, M.D., Chair, S. Comm. on Nominations, to Hon. Ken
Paxton, Tex. Att'y Gen. at 1-2 (July 25, 2024), https://www.texasattomeygeneral.gov/sites/default/files/request-
files/request/2024/RQ0552KP.pdf (Request Letter and Exhibits, respectively).