BILL ANALYSIS H.B. 3117 By: Homer Culture, Recreation & Tourism Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law specifically regulates possession and transportation of dangerous wild animals in Texas. However, these regulations make it difficult for a person to practice predator control. H.B. 3117 provides certain exemptions from provisions regarding dangerous wild animals for a person who captures or traps a cougar, bobcat, or coyote as part of a predator or depredation control activity. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS H.B. 3117 amends the Health and Safety Code to clarify that provisions regarding dangerous wild animals do not apply to a person holding a rehabilitation permit issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department who, while rehabilitating, treating, or caring for an injured, infirm, orphaned, or abandoned dangerous wild animal, holds such a permit for the species of animal being rehabilitated. The bill exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in the possession, custody, or control of a cougar, bobcat, or coyote, who has captured or trapped, rather than trapped, such an animal as part of a predator or depredation control activity. The bill removes language limiting the exemption to a county west of the Pecos River that has a population of less than 25,000. The bill also exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in possession, custody, or control of such an animal who, as part of a predator or depredation control activity, transfers the cougar, bobcat, or coyote to a person permitted to receive the animal or who specializes in lure production or dog training as those activities relate to a predator or depredation control activity. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2009.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
H.B. 3117
By: Homer
Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Committee Report (Unamended)
H.B. 3117
By: Homer
Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Committee Report (Unamended)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Current law specifically regulates possession and transportation of dangerous wild animals in Texas. However, these regulations make it difficult for a person to practice predator control. H.B. 3117 provides certain exemptions from provisions regarding dangerous wild animals for a person who captures or traps a cougar, bobcat, or coyote as part of a predator or depredation control activity.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS H.B. 3117 amends the Health and Safety Code to clarify that provisions regarding dangerous wild animals do not apply to a person holding a rehabilitation permit issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department who, while rehabilitating, treating, or caring for an injured, infirm, orphaned, or abandoned dangerous wild animal, holds such a permit for the species of animal being rehabilitated. The bill exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in the possession, custody, or control of a cougar, bobcat, or coyote, who has captured or trapped, rather than trapped, such an animal as part of a predator or depredation control activity. The bill removes language limiting the exemption to a county west of the Pecos River that has a population of less than 25,000. The bill also exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in possession, custody, or control of such an animal who, as part of a predator or depredation control activity, transfers the cougar, bobcat, or coyote to a person permitted to receive the animal or who specializes in lure production or dog training as those activities relate to a predator or depredation control activity.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2009.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Current law specifically regulates possession and transportation of dangerous wild animals in Texas. However, these regulations make it difficult for a person to practice predator control.
H.B. 3117 provides certain exemptions from provisions regarding dangerous wild animals for a person who captures or traps a cougar, bobcat, or coyote as part of a predator or depredation control activity.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
H.B. 3117 amends the Health and Safety Code to clarify that provisions regarding dangerous wild animals do not apply to a person holding a rehabilitation permit issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department who, while rehabilitating, treating, or caring for an injured, infirm, orphaned, or abandoned dangerous wild animal, holds such a permit for the species of animal being rehabilitated. The bill exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in the possession, custody, or control of a cougar, bobcat, or coyote, who has captured or trapped, rather than trapped, such an animal as part of a predator or depredation control activity. The bill removes language limiting the exemption to a county west of the Pecos River that has a population of less than 25,000. The bill also exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in possession, custody, or control of such an animal who, as part of a predator or depredation control activity, transfers the cougar, bobcat, or coyote to a person permitted to receive the animal or who specializes in lure production or dog training as those activities relate to a predator or depredation control activity.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2009.