| 1 | 1 | | By: Menéndez S.B. No. 2084 |
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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 authority of certain counties to raise revenue for |
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| 7 | 7 | | low cost sterilizations for dogs and cats by imposing a refundable |
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| 8 | 8 | | fee for dogs and cats who are not sterilized and are adopted without |
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| 9 | 9 | | being sterilized prior to adoption. |
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| 10 | 10 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 11 | 11 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 828, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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| 12 | 12 | | by adding Section 828.015 to read as follows: |
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| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 828.015. FEE FOR DOGS AND CATS WHO ARE ADOPTED IN |
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| 14 | 14 | | CERTAIN COUNTIES. |
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| 15 | 15 | | (a) This section applies only to a county with a population |
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| 16 | 16 | | of more than 75,000: |
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| 17 | 17 | | (1) A county in which an animal shelter or releasing |
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| 18 | 18 | | agency is located may assess a refundable fee of not less than $25 |
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| 19 | 19 | | when a dog or cat is adopted by a new owner and the dog or cat is not |
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| 20 | 20 | | already sterilized at the time of adoption. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (b) The county where a dog or cat is adopted by an animal |
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| 22 | 22 | | shelter or a releasing agency may: |
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| 23 | 23 | | (1) transfer any revenue from any fees authorized by |
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| 24 | 24 | | Subsection (b) and not refunded to the adopter to the general |
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| 25 | 25 | | fund of the county; and |
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| 26 | 26 | | (2) use the revenue to subsidize sterilizations for |
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| 27 | 27 | | dogs and cats by: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (a) contracting with a 501(c)(3) organization that provides |
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| 29 | 29 | | spay/neuter services; or |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b) allocating the funds to an animal shelter or releasing |
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| 31 | 31 | | agency to hire veterinary staff to provide spay/neuter services; or |
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| 32 | 32 | | (c) contracting with a 501(c)(3) organization that serves |
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| 33 | 33 | | low income residents in the county to distribute spay/neuter |
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| 34 | 34 | | vouchers to be used at private veterinary clinics in the county. |
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| 35 | 35 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 36 | 36 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 37 | 37 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 38 | 38 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 39 | 39 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |
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