By Gutierrez                                    H.B. No. 2072

      75R6653 JD-D                           

                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-1                                   AN ACT

 1-2     relating to the making of a change to an offense report or accident

 1-3     report prepared by a peace officer.

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

 1-5           SECTION 1.  Chapter 2, Code of Criminal Procedure, is amended

 1-6     by adding Article 2.26 to read as follows:

 1-7           Art. 2.26.  CHANGING OFFENSE OR ACCIDENT REPORT.  (a)  In

 1-8     this article, "accident report" means a report prepared under

 1-9     Chapter 550, Transportation Code.

1-10           (b)  If a peace officer, as part of the officer's official

1-11     duties, prepares an offense report or an accident report, the

1-12     report may be changed only if:

1-13                 (1)  the change is made by a written supplement to the

1-14     report; and

1-15                 (2)  the written supplement:

1-16                       (A)  clearly indicates the name of the person who

1-17     originated the change; and

1-18                       (B)  contains an explanation of the reason for

1-19     the change.

1-20           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-21           SECTION 3.  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.