BILL ANALYSIS


                                                        H.B. 1079
                                             By: West, B. (Brown)
                                                 Criminal Justice
                                                         05-22-95
                              Senate Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND

Currently, the action of tampering with or fabricating physical
evidence, after the offense has been committed but prior to the
investigation, is not an offense.

PURPOSE

As proposed, H.B. 1079 creates an offense for tampering with
evidence after a crime has been committed and before an official
investigation has begun.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not grant any
additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or
agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 37.09, Penal Code, by adding Subsection
(d), to provide that a person commits an offense if, knowing that
an offense has been committed, alters, destroys, or conceals any
record, document, or thing with intent to impair its verity,
legibility, or availability as evidence in any subsequent
investigation of or official proceeding related to the offense.

SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1995.

SECTION 4. Emergency clause.