| 5 | 3 | | |
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| 6 | 4 | | |
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| 7 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 6 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 7 | | relating to special open season hunting of certain migratory game |
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| 10 | 8 | | birds by veterans and members of the United States armed forces on |
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| 11 | 9 | | active duty. |
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| 12 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 13 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Section 61.058, Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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| 14 | 12 | | amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows: |
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| 15 | 13 | | (c) A special open season provided for by the commission |
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| 16 | 14 | | under Subsection (a) may be combined with a special open season |
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| 17 | 15 | | provided for by the commission under Section 61.059. |
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| 18 | 16 | | SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 61, Parks and Wildlife |
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| 19 | 17 | | Code, is amended by adding Section 61.059 to read as follows: |
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| 20 | 18 | | Sec. 61.059. HUNTING OF CERTAIN MIGRATORY GAME BIRDS BY |
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| 21 | 19 | | VETERANS AND ACTIVE DUTY ARMED FORCES MEMBERS. (a) The commission |
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| 22 | 20 | | may provide for special open seasons during which the taking and |
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| 23 | 21 | | possession of ducks, geese, mergansers, coots, moorhens, and |
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| 24 | 22 | | gallinules are restricted to veterans, as defined by 38 U.S.C. |
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| 25 | 23 | | Section 101, and members of the armed forces of the United States on |
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| 26 | 24 | | active duty, including members of the national guard and reserves |
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| 27 | 25 | | on active duty other than for training. |
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| 28 | 26 | | (b) A special open season provided for by the commission |
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| 29 | 27 | | under Subsection (a) may be combined with a special open season |
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| 30 | 28 | | provided for by the commission under Section 61.058. |
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| 31 | | - | (c) The commission by rule may prescribe the proof of |
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| 32 | | - | veteran or active duty status required of a person to participate in |
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| 33 | | - | a special open season under this section. |
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| 34 | | - | (d) If the commission by rule requires that a person |
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| 35 | | - | participating in a special open season under this section have in |
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| 36 | | - | the person's immediate possession proof of the person's veteran or |
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| 37 | | - | active duty status in accordance with commission rule, the rule |
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| 38 | | - | must provide that it is a defense to prosecution under that rule |
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| 39 | | - | that the person produces in court proof of the person's veteran or |
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| 40 | | - | active duty status in accordance with commission rule. |
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