HBA-SEP H.B. 376 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 376
By: Goolsby
Criminal Jurisprudence
3/12/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Current law does not provide that it is an offense if, with intent to
defraud or harm another, a person destroys, removes, conceals, alters,
substitutes, or otherwise impairs the verity, legibility, or availability
of a universal product code label (UPC).  Use of counterfeit UPC labels is
a growing type of fraud causing higher prices for retailers and consumers.
House Bill 376 adds UPC labels to the definition of "writing" in relation
to the offense of fraudulent destruction, removal, or concealment of
writing.  

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 376 amends the Penal Code to add universal product codes to the
definition of "writing" in relation to the offense of fraudulent
destruction, removal, or concealment of writing to establish the offense as
a Class A misdemeanor.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.