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