86R682 MEW-D
 
  By: Shaheen, Krause, Zedler, Cortez, Raymond H.B. No. 427
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the punishment for the offense of fraudulent
  destruction, removal, or concealment of a writing that is attached
  to tangible property; enhancing a criminal penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 32.47, Penal Code, is amended by
  amending Subsection (c) and adding Subsection (e) to read as
  follows:
         (c)  Except as provided by [in] Subsection (d), an offense
  under this section is a Class A misdemeanor, provided that:
               (1)  the writing is not attached to tangible property
  to indicate the price for the sale of that property; and
               (2)  the actor did not engage in the conduct described
  by Subsection (a) with respect to that writing for the purpose of
  obtaining the property for a lesser price indicated by a separate
  writing.
         (e)  If at the time of the offense the writing was attached to
  tangible property to indicate the price for the sale of that
  property and the actor engaged in the conduct described by
  Subsection (a) with respect to that writing for the purpose of
  obtaining the property for a lesser price indicated by a separate
  writing, an offense under this section is:
               (1)  a Class C misdemeanor if the difference between
  the impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the other
  writing is less than $100;
               (2)  a Class B misdemeanor if the difference between
  the impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the other
  writing is $100 or more but less than $750;
               (3)  a Class A misdemeanor if the difference between
  the impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the other
  writing is $750 or more but less than $2,500;
               (4)  a state jail felony if the difference between the
  impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the other
  writing is $2,500 or more but less than $30,000;
               (5)  a felony of the third degree if the difference
  between the impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the
  other writing is $30,000 or more but less than $150,000;
               (6)  a felony of the second degree if the difference
  between the impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the
  other writing is $150,000 or more but less than $300,000; or
               (7)  a felony of the first degree if the difference
  between the impaired writing and the lesser price indicated by the
  other writing is $300,000 or more.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
  purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
  effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
  before that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.