Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas House Bill HB3073 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	88R12122 MP-F
2	2	By: Bailes H.B. No. 3073
3	3
4	4
5	5	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
6	6	AN ACT
7	7	relating to costs associated with and procedures for the assessment
8	8	and destruction of certain deer.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 43.953, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
11	11	amended to read as follows:
12	12	Sec. 43.953. ASSESSMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF DEER. (a)
13	13	Before any deer may be destroyed under this subchapter:
14	14	(1) an agent of the animal health commission shall, in
15	15	a timely manner, [may] conduct an epidemiological assessment that
16	16	includes live animal testing of each deer considered for
17	17	destruction[:
18	18	[(A) if the assessment can be conducted in a
19	19	timely manner; and
20	20	[(B) contingent on the availability of funding];
21	21	and
22	22	(2) the department must consider the results of the
23	23	[an] assessment[, if] conducted[,] under Subdivision (1).
24	24	(b) To control or prevent the spread of disease, deer to
25	25	which this subchapter applies may be destroyed only if the
26	26	department determines, after considering the results of an
27	27	assessment conducted under Subsection (a), that the deer pose a
28	28	threat to the health of other deer or other species, including
29	29	humans.
30	30	(c) The department may [shall] carry out an order to destroy
31	31	deer only after:
32	32	(1) making the determination required by Subsection
33	33	(b); and
34	34	(2) providing notice [has been provided] to the permit
35	35	holder under Section 43.954.
36	36	(d) A permit holder may waive any requirement of this
37	37	section.
38	38	SECTION 2. Section 43.954(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
39	39	amended to read as follows:
40	40	(b) A notice provided under this section must be sent by
41	41	certified mail to the last known address of the permit holder and
42	42	must contain:
43	43	(1) the date of destruction, which may not be sooner
44	44	than the 10th day after the date of the notice;
45	45	(2) an explanation of any access restrictions imposed
46	46	on the facility or acreage covered by the permit during the
47	47	destruction of the deer; and
48	48	(3) an explanation of the reasons for the destruction,
49	49	including the results of the [any] epidemiological assessment
50	50	conducted under Section 43.953(a) applicable to the deer that are
51	51	the subject of the notice.
52	52	SECTION 3. Section 43.955, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
53	53	amended to read as follows:
54	54	Sec. 43.955. COST OF ASSESSMENT AND DESTRUCTION OF DEER
55	55	[RECOVERY]. The department [applicable permit holder] shall pay
56	56	all costs associated with:
57	57	(1) the [an] epidemiological assessment conducted
58	58	under Section 43.953(a) [this subchapter] to the animal health
59	59	commission; and
60	60	(2) the destruction of deer under this subchapter,
61	61	including any costs associated with the disposal of the deer [to the
62	62	department].
63	63	SECTION 4. (a) Sections 43.953 and 43.954(b), Parks and
64	64	Wildlife Code, as amended by this Act, apply only to the destruction
65	65	of deer on or after the effective date of this Act.
66	66	(b) Section 43.955, Parks and Wildlife Code, as amended by
67	67	this Act, applies only to the payment of costs arising from an
68	68	epidemiological assessment conducted, or the destruction of deer
69	69	commencing, on or after the effective date of this Act.
70	70	SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.