,i #aagth ,,congress #ast ,session ,h4 ,r4 #faea ,,in ,,the ,,house ,,of ,,representatives ,december #g1 #bjba,mr4 ,cuellar 7for himself and ,mr4 ,graves of ,louisiana7 introduced the following bill2 which was referred to the ,committee on the ,judiciary ,a ,,bill ,to amend title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 to prohibit staged collisions with commercial motor vehicles1 and for other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,highway ,accident ,fairness ,act of #bjba4 #b4 ,purposes ,the purposes of the ,act are to-- 7#a7 assure fair and prompt recoveries for highway accident victims2 7#b7 benefit society by preserving predictability and stability in the movement of freight in interstate commerce and lowering costs to the supply chain and1 ultimately1 all ,americans2 7#c7 protect the motoring public from the safety hazard of staged collisions between passenger cars and commercial motor vehicles2 7#d7 prevent fraudulent claims that result from staged collisions2 7#e7 protect law enforcement agencies and highway departments from expending resources dealing with the aftermath of staged collisions2 and 7#f7 minimize the impact of staged collisions on the supply chain and the movement of goods in interstate commerce4 #c4 ,prohibition on staged collisions with commercial motor vehicles 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #hje of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following new section3 #hjeje4 ,staging of motor vehicle collisions with commercial motor vehicles 7a7 ,penalty for staging collision ,a person operating a motor vehicle who intentionally causes a collision with a commercial motor vehicle1 as defined in section #caaja1 or arranges for another person to cause such a collision1 shall be fined under title #ah1 imprisoned for not more than #bj years1 or both4 7b7 ,penalty for staging collision causing serious bodily injury ,a person operating a motor vehicle who intentionally causes a collision with a commercial motor vehicle1 as defined in section #caacb1 that results in serious bodily injury or death to another person1 or arranges for another person to cause such a collision1 shall be fined under title #ah1 imprisoned for not less than #bj years1 or both4 7c7 ,limitation on prosecution ,a person may not be prosecuted for an act under this section if the person has been convicted or acquitted on the merits for the same act under the laws of a ,state1 the ,district of ,columba1 or a territory or possession of the ,united ,states4 4 7b7 ,clerical amendment ,chapter #hje of title #di1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #hjeje4 ,staging of motor vehicle collisions with commercial motor vehicles4 4 #d4 ,federal district court jurisdiction for highway accident actions against interstate motor carriers 7a7 ,application of federal jurisdiction ,section #accb of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating subsection 7e7 as subsection 7f72 and 7#b7 by inserting after subsection 7d7 the following3 7e7 7#a7 ,the district courts shall have original jurisdiction of any civil action alleging bodily harm or loss of life involving one or more commercial motor vehicles1 as defined in section #caaja of title #di1 operating on a public road in interstate commerce1 in which the matter in controversy exceeds the sum or value of #e1jjj1jjj1 exclusive of interest and costs1 and is a case in which-- 7,a7 any plaintiff is a citizen of a ,state different from any defendant2 7,b7 any plaintiff is a foreign state or a citizen or subject of a foreign state and any defendant is a citizen of a ,state2 or 7,c7 any plaintiff is a citizen of a ,state and any defendant is a foreign state or a citizen or subject of a foreign state4 7#b7 ,citizenship of plaintiffs shall be determined for purposes of paragraph 7#a7 as of the date of filing of the complaint or amended complaint1 or1 if the case stated by the initial pleading is not subject to ,federal jurisdiction1 as of the date of service by plaintiffs of an amended pleading1 motion1 or other paper1 indicating the existence of ,federal jurisdiction4 7#c7 ,for purposes of this subsection1 an unincorporated association shall be deemed to be a citizen of the ,state where it has its principal place of business and the ,state under whose laws it is organized4 4 #e4 ,third-party litigation funding disclosure in highway accident cases 7a7 ,in general ,chapter #aaa of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #affj4 ,third-party litigation funding disclosure in highway accident cases 7a7 ,in general ,in any civil action in ,state or ,federal court alleging bodily harm or loss of life involving one or more commercial motor vehicles1 as defined in section #caaja of title #di1 operating on a public road in interstate commerce1 counsel for plaintiff or plaintiffs shall-- 7#a7 disclose in writing to the court and all other named parties to the action the identity of any commercial enterprise1 other than a plaintiff or plaintiff's counsel of record1 that has a right to receive payment that is contingent on the receipt of monetary relief in the action by settlement1 judgment1 or otherwise2 and 7#b7 produce for inspection and copying1 except as otherwise stipulated or ordered by the court1 any agreement creating the contingent right4 7b7 ,timing ,the disclosure required by subsection 7a7 shall be made not later than the later of-- 7#a7 #aj days after execution of any agreement described in subsection 7a77#b72 or 7#b7 the time of service of the action4 7c7 ,statutory construction ,nothing in this section shall be construed to affect the admissibility of any materials required to be disclosed or produced under subsection 7a7 as evidence in any civil action4 4 7c7 ,technical and conforming amendment ,the table of sections for chapter #aaa of title #bh1 ,united ,states ,code1 is amended by adding at the end the following3 #affj4 ,third-party litigation funding disclosure in highway accident cases4 4 #f4 ,applicability ,the amendments made by sections #d and #e shall apply with respect to any case pending on or commenced on or after the date of enactment of this ,act4 ,the amendments made by section #c shall apply beginning on the date of enactment of this ,act4