| 1 | 1 | | 84R11630 SCL-F |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 908 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 7 | 7 | | relating to establishment and functions of the Animal Welfare |
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| 8 | 8 | | Commission. |
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| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. ANIMAL WELFARE COMMISSION. (a) The Animal |
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| 11 | 11 | | Welfare Commission is created to study and provide recommendations |
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| 12 | 12 | | to the legislature regarding animal welfare issues, including the: |
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| 13 | 13 | | (1) regulation of the ownership of exotic animals; |
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| 14 | 14 | | (2) transfer of animal ownership from an owner to an |
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| 15 | 15 | | animal shelter after the shelter's acquisition of the animal; |
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| 16 | 16 | | (3) inspection of animal shelters; |
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| 17 | 17 | | (4) regulation of veterinarians under the Occupations |
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| 18 | 18 | | Code in relation to animal shelters; |
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| 19 | 19 | | (5) management of the coyote population in urban |
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| 20 | 20 | | areas; |
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| 21 | 21 | | (6) welfare of circus animals in this state; |
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| 22 | 22 | | (7) definition of "animal shelter" in Title 10, Health |
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| 23 | 23 | | and Safety Code; |
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| 24 | 24 | | (8) definition of "dangerous dog" in Title 10, Health |
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| 25 | 25 | | and Safety Code; |
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| 26 | 26 | | (9) efficacy of trap, sterilize, and return programs; |
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| 27 | 27 | | and |
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| 28 | 28 | | (10) protocols for animal euthanasia. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (b) The Animal Welfare Commission consists of the following |
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| 30 | 30 | | members: |
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| 31 | 31 | | (1) three members appointed by the governor, one of |
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| 32 | 32 | | whom must represent the interests of animal shelters and another of |
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| 33 | 33 | | whom must represent the interests of law enforcement in this state; |
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| 34 | 34 | | (2) the lieutenant governor or a designee of the |
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| 35 | 35 | | lieutenant governor; |
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| 36 | 36 | | (3) the speaker of the house of representatives or a |
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| 37 | 37 | | designee of the speaker; |
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| 38 | 38 | | (4) the commissioner of state health services or a |
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| 39 | 39 | | designee of the commissioner; |
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| 40 | 40 | | (5) the executive director of the Texas State Board of |
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| 41 | 41 | | Veterinary Medical Examiners or a designee of the executive |
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| 42 | 42 | | director; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (6) the executive director of the Animal Health |
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| 44 | 44 | | Commission or a designee of the executive director; and |
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| 45 | 45 | | (7) the executive director of the Parks and Wildlife |
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| 46 | 46 | | Department or a designee of the executive director. |
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| 47 | 47 | | (c) When making initial appointments under Subsection (b) |
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| 48 | 48 | | of this section, the governor shall designate one of the governor's |
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| 49 | 49 | | appointees as the presiding officer of the Animal Welfare |
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| 50 | 50 | | Commission. |
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| 51 | 51 | | (d) Each appointing official shall appoint members to the |
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| 52 | 52 | | Animal Welfare Commission not later than December 31, 2015. |
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| 53 | 53 | | (e) If a vacancy arises on the Animal Welfare Commission, |
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| 54 | 54 | | the vacancy must be filled as soon as practicable in the same manner |
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| 55 | 55 | | as the original appointment as provided by Subsection (b) of this |
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| 56 | 56 | | section. |
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| 57 | 57 | | (f) The Animal Welfare Commission shall meet not later than |
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| 58 | 58 | | the 30th day after the date the final initial appointment is made |
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| 59 | 59 | | under Subsection (b) of this section and shall meet regularly as |
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| 60 | 60 | | necessary at the call of the presiding officer. |
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| 61 | 61 | | (g) An Animal Welfare Commission member is not entitled to |
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| 62 | 62 | | reimbursement of expenses or to compensation. |
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| 63 | 63 | | (h) On the Animal Welfare Commission's request, the |
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| 64 | 64 | | comptroller of public accounts or a state agency, department, or |
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| 65 | 65 | | office shall provide any assistance the commission requires to |
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| 66 | 66 | | perform the commission's duties. |
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| 67 | 67 | | SECTION 2. REPORT ON ANIMAL WELFARE. Not later than January |
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| 68 | 68 | | 1, 2017, the Animal Welfare Commission shall provide to the |
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| 69 | 69 | | governor, lieutenant governor, and speaker of the house of |
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| 70 | 70 | | representatives a final report on animal welfare in this state. The |
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| 71 | 71 | | report must include: |
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| 72 | 72 | | (1) recommendations for efficient and effective |
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| 73 | 73 | | solutions to the commission's charge, in addition to solutions to |
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| 74 | 74 | | other animal welfare issues identified by the commission; |
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| 75 | 75 | | (2) proposed legislation necessary to implement the |
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| 76 | 76 | | recommendations described by Subdivision (1) of this section; |
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| 77 | 77 | | (3) administrative recommendations; and |
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| 78 | 78 | | (4) a complete explanation of each of the commission's |
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| 79 | 79 | | recommendations. |
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| 80 | 80 | | SECTION 3. APPLICABILITY OF OTHER LAW. The Animal Welfare |
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| 81 | 81 | | Commission is not subject to Chapter 2210, Government Code. |
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| 82 | 82 | | SECTION 4. EXPIRATION. This Act expires and the Animal |
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| 83 | 83 | | Welfare Commission is abolished June 1, 2017. |
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| 84 | 84 | | SECTION 5. EFFECTIVE DATE. This Act takes effect September |
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| 85 | 85 | | 1, 2015. |
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