Monitoring the SessionHB 1283
Died in committee
Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade
relating to the punishment for the criminal offense of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
Caption from analyzed text · version I.
The charge drops from a third-degree felony to a Class A misdemeanor.
The bill changes the punishment for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. If the evidence could only be used in a case about a misdemeanor, the tampering offense drops from a third-degree felony to a Class A misdemeanor, while tampering with a human corpse stays a second-degree felony. The change applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and it also renumbers an existing defense without changing it.
Labels: ZOMBIE BILL. Died 2 times: 88R HB 1300 (Died in committee) and this bill (Died in committee). Checked against 88R only.BACK FROM THE DEAD. Same text as a bill filed before that died: 88R HB 1300 (Died in committee). Filed in 2 sessions, counting this one. Checked against 88R only.TRY NO. 2. Filed in 2 sessions: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Nov 13, 2024 and referred to the House Criminal Jurisprudence committee. No public hearing. The bill died.
89R-HB1283 · 2024-11-13
relating to the punishment for the criminal offense of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
The charge drops from a third-degree felony to a Class A misdemeanor.
The bill changes the punishment for tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. If the evidence could only be used in a case about a misdemeanor, the tampering offense drops from a third-degree felony to a Class A misdemeanor, while tampering with a human corpse stays a second-degree felony. The change applies only to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, and it also renumbers an existing defense without changing it.
[ ] NONE FOUND
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
No verified beat found.
THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT
CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY
Not tied to this bill.
The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.
Derived itemized flow · Nov 5, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
$100,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.
Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.
$100,000.00
Also funds 137 other sitting lawmakers.
Derived recipient stock · Jul 24, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
TEC account match.
TeamDerived itemized flow · Jun 26, 2025 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.
Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.
Report IDs: 101004598, 101020024, 101055554, 101067438, 101071413.
No floor vote loaded for this bill.
No fiscal note in the loaded record.
Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.
Filed 2 times: 88R and 89R. Checked against 88R only.
by Rep. Geren, same lead author · Died in committee · same text
Introduced textLast action, May 5, 2023: Referred to Criminal Justice
Relating to the punishment for the criminal offense of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence.
Caption, 88R bill history
Texas House · Filed Nov 13, 2024
03/10/2025 H Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence: Mar 10 2025 2:24PM
Texas Legislature Online · Introduced
Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 6:51 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.
House committee · Criminal Jurisprudence · Final status: Died in committee
Crimes--Against Persons--General
Crimes--Miscellaneous
EVIDENCE
The text as introduced · 299 words
By: Geren H.B. No. 1283 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED AN ACT relating to the punishment for the criminal offense of tampering with or fabricating physical evidence. BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 37.09, Penal Code, is amended by amending Subsections (c) and (c-1) and adding Subsection (c-2) to read as follows: (c) An offense under Subsection (a) or Subsection (d)(1) is a felony of the third degree, except that the offense is: (1) a felony of the second degree if [ unless ] the thing altered, destroyed, or concealed is a human corpse ; and (2) a Class A misdemeanor if the thing altered, destroyed, or concealed could be used as evidence in the investigation only of or an official proceeding related only to an offense punishable as a misdemeanor [ , in which case the offense is a felony of the second degree ]. (c-1) An offense under Subsection (d)(2) is a Class A misdemeanor. (c-2) [ (c-1) ] It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (a) or (d)(1) that the record, document, or thing was visual material prohibited under Section 43.261 that was destroyed as described by Subsection (f)(3) of that section. 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, 2025.