Relating to civil liability of a commercial motor vehicle owner or operator.

SB 39 amends Texas law to change how commercial vehicle accident lawsuits handle employer liability. It requires employers to formally admit (via stipulation) that an employee was acting within their job duties during a collision before negligence claims against the employer can proceed. This prevents claimants from presenting evidence about the employee's driving negligence in the first trial phase, but allows claims based on the employer's own actions (like poor vehicle maintenance) to move forward. The bill affects commercial motor vehicle owners/operators and accident victims seeking compensation for collisions. It applies only to cases filed or ongoing after its effective date.