| 1 | 1 | | 89R1434 LRM-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Johnson H.B. No. 1614 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to veterinary services performed on certain animals in |
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| 10 | 10 | | the care of a releasing agency. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 828.012, Health and Safety Code, is |
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| 13 | 13 | | amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
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| 14 | 14 | | read as follows: |
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| 15 | 15 | | (b) A veterinarian employed by a releasing agency may not |
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| 16 | 16 | | perform nonemergency veterinary services other than sterilization |
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| 17 | 17 | | on an animal that the releasing agency knows or should know has an |
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| 18 | 18 | | owner. However, this subsection does not prevent a veterinarian |
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| 19 | 19 | | employed by a releasing agency from performing veterinary services |
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| 20 | 20 | | on an animal whose owner: |
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| 21 | 21 | | (1) is an individual or family whose income is: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (A) not more than 50 percent of the median income |
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| 23 | 23 | | for the area in which the individual or family lives as determined |
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| 24 | 24 | | using a source or methodology accepted under federal law or rule; or |
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| 25 | 25 | | (B) less than the federal poverty level for the |
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| 26 | 26 | | relevant household size; and |
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| 27 | 27 | | (2) submits to the releasing agency evidence to |
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| 28 | 28 | | establish the owner qualifies as an individual or family described |
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| 29 | 29 | | by Subdivision (1) [is indigent]. |
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| 30 | 30 | | (b-1) If a veterinarian employed by a releasing agency |
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| 31 | 31 | | performs veterinary services on an animal whose owner qualifies as |
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| 32 | 32 | | an individual or family described by Subsection (b)(1), the agency |
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| 33 | 33 | | shall: |
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| 34 | 34 | | (1) maintain the evidence the owner submits to the |
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| 35 | 35 | | agency under Subsection (b)(2); and |
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| 36 | 36 | | (2) on request of the State Board of Veterinary |
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| 37 | 37 | | Medical Examiners, provide the evidence to the board for |
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| 38 | 38 | | inspection. |
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| 39 | 39 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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