Texas 2019 - 86th Regular

Texas House Bill HB921 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1		-	By: Rosenthal~~, Ortega, Buckley~~ H.B. No. 921
	1	+	By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 921
2	2
3	3
4	4		A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5		AN ACT
6	6		relating to the intake and disposition records of animal shelters
7	7		and releasing agencies.
8	8		BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
9	9		SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 823, Health and Safety
10	10		Code, is amended to read as follows:
11	11		CHAPTER 823. ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES
12	12		SECTION 2. Section 823.001, Health and Safety Code, is
13	13		amended by adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows:
14	14		(5) "Releasing agency" has the meaning assigned by
15	15		Section 828.001.
16	16		SECTION 3. Section 823.002, Health and Safety Code, is
17	17		amended to read as follows:
18	18		Sec. 823.002. EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES, CLINICS, AND
19	19		FACILITIES. Except as provided by Sections 823.003(e) and
20	20		823.010, this [This] chapter does not apply to:
21	21		(1) a county having a population of less than 75,000;
22	22		(2) a veterinary medicine clinic; or
23	23		(3) a livestock commission facility.
24	24		SECTION 4. Section 823.003(e), Health and Safety Code, is
25	25		amended to read as follows:
26	26		(e) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
27	27		Services Commission shall [may] require each person operating an
28	28		animal shelter or releasing agency to keep records as required by
29	29		Section 823.010. The executive commissioner may require the
30	30		shelter or agency [of the date and disposition of animals in its
31	31		custody,] to maintain the records on the business premises of the
32	32		[animal] shelter or agency[,] and to make the records available for
33	33		inspection at reasonable times.
34	34		SECTION 5. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended
35	35		by adding Section 823.010 to read as follows:
36	36		Sec. 823.010. INTAKE AND DISPOSITION RECORDS FOR ANIMAL
37	37		SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES. (a) Each animal shelter,
38	38		including a shelter operated by a municipality, or releasing agency
39	39		operated in this state shall prepare and maintain records on the
40	40		intake and disposition of animals in the care of the shelter or
41	41		agency, including:
42	42		(1) the total number of live animals taken in by the
43	43		shelter or agency, categorized by:
44	44		(A) species, as dog, cat, or other; and
45	45		(B) age, as up to five months or adult;
46	46		(2) the reason an animal was taken in by the shelter or
47	47		agency, including whether the animal was:
48	48		(A) surrendered by the animal's owner;
49	49		(B) surrendered by the animal's owner and the
50	50		owner requested that the animal be euthanized;
51	51		(C) impounded as a stray animal or an animal at
52	52		large;
53	53		(D) confiscated;
54	54		(E) transferred to the shelter or agency from a
55	55		location in this state;
56	56		(F) transferred to the shelter or agency from a
57	57		location outside this state; or
58	58		(G) born in the shelter or under the care of the
59	59		agency;
60	60		(3) the number of animals at the shelter or agency on
61	61		the last day of each month, categorized by species, as dog, cat, or
62	62		other, and age, as up to five months or adult; and
63	63		(4) the disposition of each animal taken in by the
64	64		shelter or agency, categorized by species, as dog, cat, or other,
65	65		and age, as up to five months or adult, including whether the
66	66		animal:
67	67		(A) was adopted;
68	68		(B) was reclaimed by the animal's owner;
69	69		(C) died in the shelter or under the care of the
70	70		agency;
71	71		(D) was transferred from the shelter or agency;
72	72		(E) was euthanized by the shelter or agency on a
73	73		decision made by the shelter or agency;
74	74		(F) was euthanized at the owner's request;
75	75		(G) was returned to the field as part of a
76	76		sterilization program; or
77	77		(H) was lost or stolen while in the shelter's or
78	78		agency's care.
79	79		(b) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall monthly
80	80		prepare the records required by Subsection (a).
81	81		(c) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall maintain
82	82		records prepared under Subsection (a) until at least the third
83	83		anniversary of the date the record was prepared.
84	84		(d) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall make the
85	85		records required by this section available to the public by:
86	86		(1) posting the records on the shelter's,
87	87		municipality's, or agency's Internet website; or
88	88		(2) for a shelter, municipality, or agency that does
89	89		not have an Internet website, making the records available in a form
90	90		regularly maintained by the shelter, municipality, or agency for
91	91		inspection and copying.
92	92		SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
93	93		an animal placed at or disposed of by an animal shelter or releasing
94	94		agency or counted in the shelter's or agency's animal total on or
95	95		after the effective date of this Act.
96	96		SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.