Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB471 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2643 KKR-F
2	2	By: Rosenthal H.B. No. 471
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the intake and disposition records of animal shelters
10	10	and releasing agencies.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 823, Health and Safety
13	13	Code, is amended to read as follows:
14	14	CHAPTER 823. ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES
15	15	SECTION 2. Section 823.001, Health and Safety Code, is
16	16	amended by adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows:
17	17	(5) "Releasing agency" has the meaning assigned by
18	18	Section 828.001.
19	19	SECTION 3. Section 823.002, Health and Safety Code, is
20	20	amended to read as follows:
21	21	Sec. 823.002. EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES, CLINICS, AND
22	22	FACILITIES. Except as provided by Sections 823.003(e) and 823.010,
23	23	this [This] chapter does not apply to:
24	24	(1) a county having a population of less than 75,000;
25	25	(2) a veterinary medicine clinic; or
26	26	(3) a livestock commission facility.
27	27	SECTION 4. The heading to Section 823.003, Health and
28	28	Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:
29	29	Sec. 823.003. STANDARDS FOR ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RELEASING
30	30	AGENCIES; CRIMINAL PENALTY.
31	31	SECTION 5. Section 823.003(e), Health and Safety Code, is
32	32	amended to read as follows:
33	33	(e) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human
34	34	Services Commission shall [may] require each person operating an
35	35	animal shelter or releasing agency to keep the records required by
36	36	Section 823.010. The executive commissioner shall require the
37	37	shelter or agency [of the date and disposition of animals in its
38	38	custody,] to maintain the records on the business premises of the
39	39	[animal] shelter or agency[,] and to make the records available for
40	40	inspection at reasonable times.
41	41	SECTION 6. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended
42	42	by adding Section 823.010 to read as follows:
43	43	Sec. 823.010. INTAKE AND DISPOSITION RECORDS FOR ANIMAL
44	44	SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES. (a) Each animal shelter,
45	45	including a shelter operated by a municipality, or releasing agency
46	46	operated in this state shall prepare and maintain records on the
47	47	intake and disposition of animals in the custody of the shelter or
48	48	agency, including:
49	49	(1) the total number of live animals for which the
50	50	shelter or agency has assumed custody, categorized by species and
51	51	age;
52	52	(2) the reason the shelter or agency assumed custody
53	53	of an animal, including whether the animal was:
54	54	(A) surrendered by the animal's owner;
55	55	(B) surrendered by the animal's owner and the
56	56	owner requested that the animal be euthanized;
57	57	(C) impounded as a stray animal or an animal at
58	58	large;
59	59	(D) confiscated;
60	60	(E) transferred to the shelter or agency from a
61	61	location in this state;
62	62	(F) transferred to the shelter or agency from a
63	63	location outside this state; or
64	64	(G) born in the shelter or under the care of the
65	65	agency;
66	66	(3) the number of animals at the shelter or agency on
67	67	the last day of each month, categorized by species and age; and
68	68	(4) the disposition of each animal in the custody of
69	69	the shelter or agency, categorized by species and age, including
70	70	whether the animal:
71	71	(A) was adopted;
72	72	(B) was reclaimed by the animal's owner;
73	73	(C) died in the shelter or under the care of the
74	74	agency;
75	75	(D) was transferred from the shelter or agency;
76	76	(E) was euthanized by the shelter or agency on a
77	77	decision of the shelter or agency;
78	78	(F) was euthanized at the owner's request;
79	79	(G) was returned to the field as part of a
80	80	sterilization program; or
81	81	(H) was lost or stolen while in the shelter's or
82	82	agency's custody.
83	83	(b) In the records required by Subsection (a), an animal
84	84	shelter or releasing agency must use:
85	85	(1) for species, the categories of dog, cat, or other;
86	86	and
87	87	(2) for age, the categories of up to five months or
88	88	adult.
89	89	(c) An animal shelter or releasing agency monthly shall
90	90	prepare the records required by Subsection (a).
91	91	(d) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall maintain
92	92	records prepared under Subsection (a) until at least the third
93	93	anniversary of the date the record was prepared.
94	94	(e) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall make the
95	95	records required by this section available to the public by:
96	96	(1) posting the records on the shelter's,
97	97	municipality's, or agency's Internet website; or
98	98	(2) for a shelter, municipality, or agency that does
99	99	not have an Internet website, making the records available for
100	100	inspection and copying in a form regularly maintained by the
101	101	shelter, municipality, or agency.
102	102	SECTION 7. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
103	103	an animal placed at or disposed of by an animal shelter or releasing
104	104	agency or counted in the shelter's or agency's animal total on or
105	105	after the effective date of this Act.
106	106	SECTION 8. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.