Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB4768 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R9651 LHC-F
2	2	By: Phelan H.B. No. 4768
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to conditions of community supervision for defendants
10	10	convicted of certain criminal offenses involving animals.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Articles 42A.511(a) and (b), Code of Criminal
13	13	Procedure, are amended to read as follows:
14	14	(a) If a judge grants community supervision to a defendant
15	15	convicted of an offense under Section 42.09, 42.091, 42.092, or
16	16	42.10, Penal Code, the judge may require the defendant to:
17	17	(1) complete an online responsible pet owner course
18	18	that is at least two hours in duration [approved and certified by
19	19	the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation]; or
20	20	(2) complete [attend] a responsible pet owner course
21	21	sponsored by a municipal animal shelter, as defined by Section
22	22	823.001, Health and Safety Code, that:
23	23	(A) receives federal, state, county, or
24	24	municipal funds; and
25	25	(B) serves the county in which the court is
26	26	located.
27	27	(b) An [For purposes of the] online responsible pet owner
28	28	course described by Subsection (a)(1) must include information
29	29	regarding [, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation or
30	30	the Texas Commission of Licensing and Regulation, as appropriate]:
31	31	(1) federal and state laws that protect livestock
32	32	animals, nonlivestock animals, and wildlife, including:
33	33	(A) animal cruelty laws;
34	34	(B) dogfighting laws; and
35	35	(C) laws prohibiting attacks on assistance
36	36	animals;
37	37	(2) responsible care for animals, including spaying,
38	38	neutering, and tethering animals, and generally providing for the
39	39	health, safety, and welfare of livestock animals, nonlivestock
40	40	animals, and wildlife;
41	41	(3) animal bite prevention; and
42	42	(4) laws governing dog and cat breeders under Chapter
43	43	802, Occupations Code [is responsible for the approval,
44	44	certification, and administration of the course and course
45	45	providers;
46	46	[(2) may charge fees for:
47	47	[(A) initial and renewal course certifications;
48	48	[(B) initial and renewal course provider
49	49	certifications;
50	50	[(C) course participant completion certificates;
51	51	and
52	52	[(D) other fees necessary for the administration
53	53	of the course and course providers;
54	54	[(3) shall adopt rules regarding the administration of
55	55	the course and course providers, including rules regarding:
56	56	[(A) the criteria for course approval and
57	57	certification;
58	58	[(B) the criteria for course provider approval
59	59	and certification;
60	60	[(C) curriculum development;
61	61	[(D) course length and content;
62	62	[(E) criteria for a participant to complete the
63	63	course; and
64	64	[(F) a course completion certificate that is
65	65	acceptable to a court;
66	66	[(4) is authorized to monitor and audit the provision
67	67	of the course by the course providers; and
68	68	[(5) may take enforcement actions as appropriate to
69	69	enforce this subsection].
70	70	SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a
71	71	defendant placed on community supervision on or after the effective
72	72	date of this Act, regardless of whether the offense for which the
73	73	defendant was placed on community supervision was committed before,
74	74	on, or after the effective date of this Act.
75	75	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.