By: Swanson, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Bettencourt) H.B. No. 1400
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 17, 2021;
May 17, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Criminal
Justice; May 22, 2021, reported favorably by the following vote:
Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 22, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the creation of the criminal offense of impersonating a
private investigator.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter P, Chapter 1702, Occupations Code, is
amended by adding Section 1702.3876 to read as follows:
Sec. 1702.3876. IMPERSONATING PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR;
OFFENSE. (a) A person commits an offense if the person:
(1) impersonates a private investigator with the
intent to induce another to submit to the person's pretended
authority or to rely on the person's pretended acts of a private
investigator; or
(2) knowingly purports to exercise any function that
requires licensure as a private investigator.
(b) An offense under this section is a Class A misdemeanor,
except that the offense is a felony of the third degree if it is
shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant has previously
been convicted of an offense under this section.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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