Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas House Bill HB337 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	87R3251 KKR-F
2	2	By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 337
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to the intake and disposition records of animal shelters
8	8	and releasing agencies.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 823, Health and Safety
11	11	Code, is amended to read as follows:
12	12	CHAPTER 823. ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES
13	13	SECTION 2. Section 823.001, Health and Safety Code, is
14	14	amended by adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows:
15	15	(5) "Releasing agency" has the meaning assigned by
16	16	Section 828.001.
17	17	SECTION 3. Section 823.002, Health and Safety Code, is
18	18	amended to read as follows:
19	19	Sec. 823.002. EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES, CLINICS, AND
20	20	FACILITIES. Except as provided by Sections 823.003(e) and 823.010,
21	21	this [This] chapter does not apply to:
22	22	(1) a county having a population of less than 75,000;
23	23	(2) a veterinary medicine clinic; or
24	24	(3) a livestock commission facility.
25	25	SECTION 4. The heading to Section 823.003, Health and
26	26	Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
27	27	Sec. 823.003. STANDARDS FOR ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RELEASING
28	28	AGENCIES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.
29	29	SECTION 5. Section 823.003(e), Health and Safety Code, is
30	30	amended to read as follows:
31	31	(e) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
32	32	Services Commission shall [may] require each person operating an
33	33	animal shelter or releasing agency to keep the records required by
34	34	Section 823.010. The executive commissioner shall require the
35	35	shelter or agency [of the date and disposition of animals in its
36	36	custody,] to maintain the records on the business premises of the
37	37	[animal] shelter or agency[,] and to make the records available for
38	38	inspection at reasonable times.
39	39	SECTION 6. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended
40	40	by adding Section 823.010 to read as follows:
41	41	Sec. 823.010. INTAKE AND DISPOSITION RECORDS FOR ANIMAL
42	42	SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES. (a) Each animal shelter,
43	43	including a shelter operated by a municipality, or releasing agency
44	44	operated in this state shall prepare and maintain records on the
45	45	intake and disposition of animals in the care of the shelter or
46	46	agency, including:
47	47	(1) the total number of live animals taken in by the
48	48	shelter or agency, categorized by species and age;
49	49	(2) the reason an animal was taken in by the shelter or
50	50	agency, including whether the animal was:
51	51	(A) surrendered by the animal's owner;
52	52	(B) surrendered by the animal's owner and the
53	53	owner requested that the animal be euthanized;
54	54	(C) impounded as a stray animal or an animal at
55	55	large;
56	56	(D) confiscated;
57	57	(E) transferred to the shelter or agency from a
58	58	location in this state;
59	59	(F) transferred to the shelter or agency from a
60	60	location outside this state; or
61	61	(G) born in the shelter or under the care of the
62	62	agency;
63	63	(3) the number of animals at the shelter or agency on
64	64	the last day of each month, categorized by species and age; and
65	65	(4) the disposition of each animal taken in by the
66	66	shelter or agency, categorized by species and age, including
67	67	whether the animal:
68	68	(A) was adopted;
69	69	(B) was reclaimed by the animal's owner;
70	70	(C) died in the shelter or under the care of the
71	71	agency;
72	72	(D) was transferred from the shelter or agency;
73	73	(E) was euthanized by the shelter or agency on a
74	74	decision made by the shelter or agency;
75	75	(F) was euthanized at the owner's request;
76	76	(G) was returned to the field as part of a
77	77	sterilization program; or
78	78	(H) was lost or stolen while in the shelter's or
79	79	agency's care.
80	80	(b) In the records required by Subsection (a), an animal
81	81	shelter or releasing agency must use the following categories:
82	82	(1) for species, dog, cat, or other; and
83	83	(2) for age, up to five months or adult.
84	84	(c) An animal shelter or releasing agency monthly shall
85	85	prepare the records required by Subsection (a).
86	86	(d) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall maintain
87	87	records prepared under Subsection (a) until at least the third
88	88	anniversary of the date the record was prepared.
89	89	(e) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall make the
90	90	records required by this section available to the public by:
91	91	(1) posting the records on the shelter's,
92	92	municipality's, or agency's Internet website; or
93	93	(2) for a shelter, municipality, or agency that does
94	94	not have an Internet website, making the records available for
95	95	inspection and copying in a form regularly maintained by the
96	96	shelter, municipality, or agency.
97	97	SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
98	98	an animal placed at or disposed of by an animal shelter or releasing
99	99	agency or counted in the shelter's or agency's animal total on or
100	100	after the effective date of this Act.
101	101	SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.