82R11325 JRH-D
By: Price H.B. No. 1919
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a defense to prosecution for the offense of cruelty to
nonlivestock animals under certain circumstances.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 42.092(d), Penal Code, is amended to
read as follows:
(d) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:
(1) the actor had a reasonable fear of:
(A) bodily injury to the actor or to another
person by a dangerous wild animal as defined by Section 822.101,
Health and Safety Code; or
(B) serious bodily injury to the actor or to
another person by a dog as defined by Section 822.041, Health and
Safety Code; or
(2) the actor was engaged in bona fide experimentation
for scientific research.
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 when 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, 2011.