By McReynolds                                    H.B. No. 845

      75R3503 GWK-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the offense of making a false report to a peace officer

 1-3     or to an employee of a law enforcement agency.

 1-4           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Section 37.08, Penal Code, is amended to read as

 1-6     follows:

 1-7           Sec. 37.08.  FALSE REPORT TO PEACE OFFICER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT

 1-8     EMPLOYEE.  (a)  A person commits an offense if, with intent to

 1-9     deceive, he  knowingly makes a false statement that is material to

1-10     a criminal investigation and makes the statement to:

1-11                 (1)  a peace officer conducting the [a criminal]

1-12     investigation; or

1-13                 (2)  any employee of a law enforcement agency that is

1-14     conducting [and the statement is material to] the investigation.

1-15           (b)  An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.

1-16           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-17           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-18     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-19     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-20     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-21     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.