| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 87R4708 AJZ-D | |
| 2 | 2 | By: Shaheen H.B. No. 708 | |
| 3 | 3 | ||
| 4 | 4 | ||
| 5 | 5 | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | |
| 6 | 6 | AN ACT | |
| 7 | 7 | relating to creating the criminal offense of possession of an | |
| 8 | 8 | animal by a person who has been previously convicted of an offense | |
| 9 | 9 | involving animal cruelty. | |
| 10 | 10 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
| 11 | 11 | SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding | |
| 12 | 12 | Section 42.107 to read as follows: | |
| 13 | 13 | Sec. 42.107. POSSESSION OF ANIMAL BY PERSON CONVICTED OF | |
| 14 | 14 | ANIMAL CRUELTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: | |
| 15 | 15 | (1) possesses or exercises control over an animal or | |
| 16 | 16 | resides in a household in which an animal is present; and | |
| 17 | 17 | (2) has been previously convicted of an offense under: | |
| 18 | 18 | (A) Section 42.09, 42.091, 42.092, 42.10, or | |
| 19 | 19 | 42.105; or | |
| 20 | 20 | (B) federal law or a penal law of another state | |
| 21 | 21 | containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements | |
| 22 | 22 | of an offense described by Paragraph (A). | |
| 23 | 23 | (b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor, | |
| 24 | 24 | except that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the defendant | |
| 25 | 25 | has previously been convicted of an offense under this section. | |
| 26 | 26 | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |