HBA-KMH H.B. 926 76(R) BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 926 By: Garcia Criminal Jurisprudence 4/12/1999 Introduced BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Allegations of alteration of Texas Assessment of Academic Skills (TAAS) answer sheets have arisen in more than 11 school districts statewide. False scores are created to increase accountability ratings for the school district. Currently, tampering with such records is a misdemeanor. H.B. 926 increases the penalty for tampering with public school records or documents. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 37.10(d), Penal Code, to include public school records or documents in the list of instruments for which tampering with them is a felony of the second or third degree, depending on the intention of the actor, rather than a misdemeanor or state jail felony. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.