HBA-BSM H.B. 84 77(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 84 By: Gallego Criminal Jurisprudence 7/25/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Police officers and ordinary citizens are facing increased danger as criminals use more deadly weaponry, body armor, and other sophisticated assault gear. Incidents such as the murder of a San Francisco police officer by an assailant wearing two layers of body armor and a 1997 bank shoot out in California between police and two heavily armed suspects outfitted in body armor demonstrate the serious threat to community safety posed by criminals who wear body armor during the commission of a violent crime. Prior to the 77th Legislature, it was not an offense to possess body armor after being convicted of a felony. House Bill 84 provides that it is a felony of the third degree for a convicted felon to possess metal or body armor. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS House Bill 84 amends the Penal Code to establish that it is a felony of the third degree for a convicted felon to possess metal or body armor. "Metal or body armor" is defined as any body covering manifestly designed, made, or adapted for the purpose of protecting a person against gunfire. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2001.