| 1 | 1 | | 82R24786 T |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Coleman H.B. No. 2116 |
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| 3 | 3 | | Substitute the following for H.B. No. 2116: |
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| 4 | 4 | | By: Marquez C.S.H.B. No. 2116 |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to standards of care for dogs and cats; creating an |
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| 10 | 10 | | offense. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter D, Chapter 821, Health and Safety |
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| 13 | 13 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 821.082 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 821.082. ENCLOSURE OF DOGS AND CATS. (a) In this |
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| 15 | 15 | | section: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (a) An owner may not place dogs or cats in a primary |
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| 17 | 17 | | enclosure on top of another primary enclosure without an impervious |
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| 18 | 18 | | barrier between the enclosures. |
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| 19 | 19 | | SECTION 2. Section 821.079 is applied should an owner |
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| 20 | 20 | | violate section 821.082. |
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| 21 | 21 | | SECTION 3. STUDY OF STANDARDS OF CARE FOR DOGS AND CATS. |
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| 22 | 22 | | The executive commissioner shall conduct a study regarding the |
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| 23 | 23 | | proper standards for care and confinement for dogs and cats to |
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| 24 | 24 | | ensure the overall health and welfare of each dog or cat. Not later |
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| 25 | 25 | | than August 31, 2012, the executive commissioner shall submit a |
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| 26 | 26 | | report to the chairs of the appropriate legislative committees |
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| 27 | 27 | | summarizing the findings of the study required by this section. |
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| 28 | 28 | | This subsection expires September 1, 2013. Rules may be |
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| 29 | 29 | | adopted from recommendations of the study. A member of a club or an |
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| 30 | 30 | | affiliate organization of a national kennel club whose mission is |
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| 31 | 31 | | stated in the charter and bylaws to "advocate the purebred dog as a |
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| 32 | 32 | | family companion, advance canine health and well-being, work to |
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| 33 | 33 | | protect the rights of all dog owners and promote responsible dog |
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| 34 | 34 | | ownership" is exempt from rules that may be adopted. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 36 | 36 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 37 | 37 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |
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