By West, et al. H.B. No. 1079 74R2994 GWK-F A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to prosecution of the offense of tampering with or 1-3 fabricating physical evidence. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Section 37.09, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Subsection (d) to read as follows: 1-7 (d) A person commits an offense if, knowing that an offense 1-8 has been committed, he alters, destroys, or conceals any record, 1-9 document, or thing with intent to impair its verity, legibility, or 1-10 availability as evidence in any subsequent investigation of or 1-11 official proceeding related to the offense. 1-12 SECTION 2. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies 1-13 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 1-14 Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before 1-15 the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 1-16 before the effective date. 1-17 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 1-18 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 1-19 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-20 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 1995. 1-21 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-22 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-23 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-24 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.