BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1795 By: Ancha Criminal Jurisprudence Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that Texas continues to see excessive amounts of inhumane dog fighting and cockfighting and that these offenses are gateways to further violence and offenses involving drugs, theft, human trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, organized crime, and other criminal conduct. The bill author has further informed the committee that the current misdemeanor penalties for dog fighting and cockfighting are not a sufficient deterrent when an offender can make more money from engaging in the offense than they would be fined. C.S.H.B. 1795 seeks to provide stronger deterrents and higher criminal consequences for certain conduct constituting dog fighting or cockfighting by increasing the penalty to a state jail felony. CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1795 amends the Penal Code to increase from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony the penalty for dog fighting in which the person intentionally or knowingly does the following: owns or possesses dog-fighting equipment with the intent that the equipment be used to train a dog for dog fighting or in furtherance of dog fighting; or owns or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition of dog fighting. C.S.H.B. 1795 increases from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony the penalty for cockfighting in which the person knowingly does the following: uses or permits another to use any real estate, building, room, tent, arena, or other property for cockfighting; owns or trains a cock with the intent that the cock be used in an exhibition of cockfighting; or manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher, or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting. C.S.H.B. 1795 applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025. COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE While C.S.H.B. 1795 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill. The introduced and substitute both increase the penalty for the same conduct constituting cockfighting from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony, but the substitute also increases the penalty for cockfighting in which the person knowingly manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher, or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting.
BILL ANALYSIS
# BILL ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 1795
By: Ancha
Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Substituted)
C.S.H.B. 1795
By: Ancha
Criminal Jurisprudence
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The bill author has informed the committee that Texas continues to see excessive amounts of inhumane dog fighting and cockfighting and that these offenses are gateways to further violence and offenses involving drugs, theft, human trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, organized crime, and other criminal conduct. The bill author has further informed the committee that the current misdemeanor penalties for dog fighting and cockfighting are not a sufficient deterrent when an offender can make more money from engaging in the offense than they would be fined. C.S.H.B. 1795 seeks to provide stronger deterrents and higher criminal consequences for certain conduct constituting dog fighting or cockfighting by increasing the penalty to a state jail felony.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 1795 amends the Penal Code to increase from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony the penalty for dog fighting in which the person intentionally or knowingly does the following: owns or possesses dog-fighting equipment with the intent that the equipment be used to train a dog for dog fighting or in furtherance of dog fighting; or owns or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition of dog fighting. C.S.H.B. 1795 increases from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony the penalty for cockfighting in which the person knowingly does the following: uses or permits another to use any real estate, building, room, tent, arena, or other property for cockfighting; owns or trains a cock with the intent that the cock be used in an exhibition of cockfighting; or manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher, or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting. C.S.H.B. 1795 applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2025.
COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE While C.S.H.B. 1795 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill. The introduced and substitute both increase the penalty for the same conduct constituting cockfighting from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony, but the substitute also increases the penalty for cockfighting in which the person knowingly manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher, or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting.
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The bill author has informed the committee that Texas continues to see excessive amounts of inhumane dog fighting and cockfighting and that these offenses are gateways to further violence and offenses involving drugs, theft, human trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, organized crime, and other criminal conduct. The bill author has further informed the committee that the current misdemeanor penalties for dog fighting and cockfighting are not a sufficient deterrent when an offender can make more money from engaging in the offense than they would be fined. C.S.H.B. 1795 seeks to provide stronger deterrents and higher criminal consequences for certain conduct constituting dog fighting or cockfighting by increasing the penalty to a state jail felony.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT
It is the committee's opinion that this bill expressly does one or more of the following: creates a criminal offense, increases the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or changes the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.
ANALYSIS
C.S.H.B. 1795 amends the Penal Code to increase from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony the penalty for dog fighting in which the person intentionally or knowingly does the following:
owns or possesses dog-fighting equipment with the intent that the equipment be used to train a dog for dog fighting or in furtherance of dog fighting; or
owns or trains a dog with the intent that the dog be used in an exhibition of dog fighting.
C.S.H.B. 1795 increases from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony the penalty for cockfighting in which the person knowingly does the following:
uses or permits another to use any real estate, building, room, tent, arena, or other property for cockfighting;
owns or trains a cock with the intent that the cock be used in an exhibition of cockfighting; or
manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher, or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting.
C.S.H.B. 1795 applies only to an offense committed on or after the bill's effective date. An offense committed before the bill's effective date is governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For these purposes, an offense was committed before the bill's effective date if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2025.
COMPARISON OF INTRODUCED AND SUBSTITUTE
While C.S.H.B. 1795 may differ from the introduced in minor or nonsubstantive ways, the following summarizes the substantial differences between the introduced and committee substitute versions of the bill.
The introduced and substitute both increase the penalty for the same conduct constituting cockfighting from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony, but the substitute also increases the penalty for cockfighting in which the person knowingly manufactures, buys, sells, barters, exchanges, possesses, advertises, or otherwise offers a gaff, slasher, or other sharp implement designed for attachment to a cock with the intent that the implement be used in cockfighting.