| 1 | 1 | | 88R13633 MCF-F |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Zaffirini S.B. No. 1962 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | AN ACT |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | relating to the authority of certain counties to order the |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | microchipping of dogs; providing a civil penalty. |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 822, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | by adding Subchapter F to read as follows: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SUBCHAPTER F. MICROCHIPPING OF DOGS IN CERTAIN COUNTIES |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | Sec. 822.151. APPLICABILITY. This subchapter applies only |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | to a county with a population of less than 50,000 that is: |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | (1) located in a metropolitan statistical area as |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget with a |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | population of more than two million; and |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | (2) adjacent to another metropolitan statistical area |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | as defined by the federal Office of Management and Budget with a |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | population of more than two million. |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | Sec. 822.152. ORDER TO MICROCHIP. (a) The commissioners |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | court of a county may adopt an order requiring each dog regularly |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | located in the county that is owned by a county resident to be |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | microchipped. The order must specify: |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | (1) the time the owner has to microchip the dog after |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | becoming the owner; |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (2) any exemption from the requirement to microchip, |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | including any exemption for a dog temporarily located in the county |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | or for a medical reason; and |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (3) any other matters the commissioners court finds |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | appropriate. |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (b) If another political subdivision located in the county |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | adopts a microchipping requirement with more stringent standards |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | than the county standards, the political subdivision's standards |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | control within the political subdivision. |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | Sec. 822.153. CIVIL PENALTY. (a) A person who violates an |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | order adopted under this subchapter is liable for a civil penalty of |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | not more than $200. |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | (b) The county attorney of the county in which the violation |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | occurs may sue to collect a civil penalty. |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
|---|