| 1 | 1 | | By: Springer S.B. No. 1342 |
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| 2 | 2 | | |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 5 | 5 | | AN ACT |
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| 6 | 6 | | relating to the regulation of livestock export-import processing |
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| 7 | 7 | | facilities; creating a criminal offense. |
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| 8 | 8 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 9 | 9 | | SECTION 1. Subchapter C, Chapter 161, Agriculture Code, is |
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| 10 | 10 | | amended by adding Section 161.0603 to read as follows: |
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| 11 | 11 | | Sec. 161.0603. REGULATION OF EXPORT-IMPORT PROCESSING |
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| 12 | 12 | | FACILITIES. (a) In this section, "export-import facility" means a |
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| 13 | 13 | | public or private livestock export-import processing facility, |
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| 14 | 14 | | including department facilities, established in Subchapter B of |
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| 15 | 15 | | Chapter 146, Texas Agriculture Code, that is a land border port in |
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| 16 | 16 | | this state with the capacity to receive and hold livestock and |
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| 17 | 17 | | livestock products for transportation in international trade. |
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| 18 | 18 | | (b) A person as owner or person in charge of an |
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| 19 | 19 | | export-import facility shall notify the commission within 24 hours |
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| 20 | 20 | | of an animal received or held at the facility being refused export |
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| 21 | 21 | | out of this state or entry into another country. |
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| 22 | 22 | | (c) If an authorized commission employee considers it |
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| 23 | 23 | | necessary, the commission may require an animal held at an |
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| 24 | 24 | | export-import facility be tested or treated for a disease or pest. |
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| 25 | 25 | | The commission may require the testing or treatment before the |
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| 26 | 26 | | animal is removed from the export-import facility. The state may |
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| 27 | 27 | | not be required to pay the cost of fees charged for the testing or |
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| 28 | 28 | | treatment. |
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| 29 | 29 | | (d) The commission may, for disease or pest control |
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| 30 | 30 | | purposes, adopt any rules necessary to carry out the purpose of this |
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| 31 | 31 | | subchapter, including rules regarding reporting requirements, |
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| 32 | 32 | | recordkeeping, movement, inspections, testing, and treatment. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (e) A person commits an offense if the person knowingly |
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| 34 | 34 | | moves an animal in violation of a rule adopted under this section. |
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| 35 | 35 | | (f) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor |
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| 36 | 36 | | unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant |
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| 37 | 37 | | was previously convicted under this section, in which event the |
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| 38 | 38 | | offense is a Class B misdemeanor. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 40 | 40 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 41 | 41 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 42 | 42 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 43 | 43 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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