AN ACT
1-1 relating to the offense of making a false report to a peace officer
1-2 or to an employee of a law enforcement agency.
1-3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-4 SECTION 1. Section 37.08, Penal Code, is amended to read as
1-5 follows:
1-6 Sec. 37.08. FALSE REPORT TO PEACE OFFICER OR LAW ENFORCEMENT
1-7 EMPLOYEE. (a) A person commits an offense if, with intent to
1-8 deceive, he knowingly makes a false statement that is material to a
1-9 criminal investigation and makes the statement to:
1-10 (1) a peace officer conducting the [a criminal]
1-11 investigation; or
1-12 (2) any employee of a law enforcement agency that is
1-13 authorized by the agency to conduct the investigation and that the
1-14 actor knows is conducting [and the statement is material to] the
1-15 investigation.
1-16 (b) In this section, "law enforcement agency" has the
1-17 meaning assigned by Article 59.01, Code of Criminal Procedure.
1-18 (c) An offense under this section is a Class B misdemeanor.
1-19 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.
1-20 SECTION 3. The importance of this legislation and the
1-21 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
1-22 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
1-23 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
2-1 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.
_______________________________ _______________________________
President of the Senate Speaker of the House
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 329 passed the Senate on
February 18, 1997, by a viva-voce vote; and that the Senate
concurred in House amendment on May 26, 1997, by a viva-voce vote.
_______________________________
Secretary of the Senate
I hereby certify that S.B. No. 329 passed the House, with
amendment, on May 23, 1997, by a non-record vote.
_______________________________
Chief Clerk of the House
Approved:
_______________________________
Date
_______________________________
Governor