85R3267 PAM-D     By: Wu H.B. No. 683       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the creation of the offense of possession or use of law   enforcement identification, insignia, or vehicles in certain   populous municipalities and the clarification of the offenses of   false identification as a peace officer and misrepresentation of   property.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 341.904(b), Local Government Code, is   amended to read as follows:          (b)  In a municipality with a population of 750,000 [1.18   million] or more [located primarily in a county with a population of   2 million or more], a person commits an offense if the person   intentionally or knowingly:                (1)  uses, possesses, or wears:                      (A)  a police identification item of the municipal   police department;                      (B)  an item bearing the insignia or design   prescribed by the police chief of the municipality for officers and   employees of the municipal police department to use while engaged   in official activities; or                      (C)  within the municipal police department's   jurisdiction, an item that is deceptively similar to a police   identification item of the department;                (2)  uses, within the municipal police department's   jurisdiction, the name of the department in connection with an   object to create the appearance that the object belongs to or is   used by the department; or                (3)  uses, possesses, or operates, within the municipal   police department's jurisdiction, a marked patrol vehicle that is   deceptively similar to a department patrol vehicle.          SECTION 2.  Section 37.12, Penal Code, is amended by   amending Subsections (a) and (d) and adding Subsection (c-1) to   read as follows:          (a)  A person commits an offense if:                (1)  the person makes, provides to another person, or   possesses a card, document, badge, insignia, shoulder emblem, or   other item, including a vehicle, bearing an insignia of a law   enforcement agency that identifies a person as a peace officer or a   reserve law enforcement officer; and                (2)  the person who makes, provides, or possesses the   item bearing the insignia knows that the person so identified by the   item is not commissioned as a peace officer or reserve law   enforcement officer as indicated on the item.          (c-1)  For purposes of this section, an item bearing an   insignia of a law enforcement agency includes an item that contains   the word "police," "sheriff," "constable," "trooper," "ranger,"   "agent," or any other designation commonly used by law enforcement   agencies in this state.           (d)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally   or knowingly misrepresents an object, including a vehicle, as   property belonging to a law enforcement agency.          SECTION 3.  Section 37.12, Penal Code, as amended by this   Act, is a clarification of existing law and does not imply that   existing law may be construed as inconsistent with the law as   amended by this Act.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.