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.