By Hinojosa H.B. No. 364 77R1598 GWK-D A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-1 AN ACT 1-2 relating to the creation of the offense of interfering with an 1-3 emergency telephone call. 1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-5 SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding 1-6 Section 42.062 to read as follows: 1-7 Sec. 42.062. INTERFERENCE WITH EMERGENCY TELEPHONE CALL. 1-8 (a) A person commits an offense if the person with criminal 1-9 negligence prevents or otherwise interferes with a telephone call 1-10 made or attempted by another to request assistance in an emergency 1-11 from a law enforcement agency, medical facility, or other agency or 1-12 entity the primary purpose of which is to provide for the safety of 1-13 individuals. 1-14 (b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, 1-15 except that the offense is a state jail felony if the actor has 1-16 previously been convicted under this section. 1-17 (c) In this section, "emergency" means a condition or 1-18 circumstance in which any person is or is reasonably believed by 1-19 the person making a telephone call to be in imminent danger of 1-20 serious bodily injury or in which property is or is reasonably 1-21 believed by the person making the telephone call to be in imminent 1-22 danger of damage or destruction. 1-23 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001.