Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB662 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R2365 MCF-D
2	2	By: Flores H.B. No. 662
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7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the adoption of cats and dogs previously used for
10	10	research.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as the Research Animal
13	13	Retirement Act.
14	14	SECTION 2. Title 10, Health and Safety Code, is amended by
15	15	adding Chapter 830 to read as follows:
16	16	CHAPTER 830. ADOPTION OF CERTAIN RETIRED RESEARCH ANIMALS
17	17	Sec. 830.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter:
18	18	(1) "Animal rehoming organization" means a nonprofit
19	19	charitable organization established primarily to place rescued
20	20	animals in adoptive homes.
21	21	(2) "Animal shelter" means a facility operated by a
22	22	nonprofit charitable organization established primarily to shelter
23	23	and care for stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals and
24	24	place those animals in adoptive homes.
25	25	(3) "Executive commissioner" means the executive
26	26	commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission.
27	27	(4) "Research facility" means a research facility as
28	28	defined by the Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. Section 2132(e)) that is
29	29	licensed by or registered with the United States Department of
30	30	Agriculture under that Act to conduct experiments on dogs or cats
31	31	for education, research, science, or testing purposes.
32	32	(5) "Retired animal" means a dog or cat a research
33	33	facility previously used in experiments conducted for education,
34	34	research, science, or testing purposes and no longer needed for
35	35	those purposes.
36	36	Sec. 830.002. LIMITATION. This chapter does not apply to a
37	37	retired animal a research facility's attending veterinarian
38	38	identifies as:
39	39	(1) not suitable for rehoming; or
40	40	(2) having a substantial medical condition that
41	41	prevents the animal from successfully integrating into an adoptive
42	42	home.
43	43	Sec. 830.003. ADOPTION OF RETIRED ANIMALS. (a) A research
44	44	facility, or its authorized employee or an authorized student of an
45	45	institution of higher education associated with the facility, on
46	46	retirement of a retired animal shall offer the animal for adoption:
47	47	(1) through an animal rehoming organization or animal
48	48	shelter; or
49	49	(2) by an individual through an arrangement between
50	50	the facility and individual.
51	51	(b) A research facility may not offer any retired animal to
52	52	an animal rehoming organization or animal shelter unless the
53	53	facility has entered into a written agreement with the organization
54	54	or shelter addressing the transfer of the facility's retired
55	55	animals to the organization or shelter.
56	56	(c) A research facility may establish guidelines for
57	57	determining whether:
58	58	(1) a retired animal is suitable for adoption; and
59	59	(2) an animal rehoming organization, animal shelter,
60	60	or individual is qualified to accept a retired animal for adoption.
61	61	(d) A research facility must post on the facility's Internet
62	62	website any guidelines adopted under Subsection (c).
63	63	Sec. 830.004. IMMUNITY FROM CIVIL LIABILITY. A research
64	64	facility that in good faith and in compliance with this chapter and
65	65	rules adopted under this chapter provides a research animal to an
66	66	animal rehoming organization, animal shelter, or individual is
67	67	immune from civil liability with respect to a claim based on:
68	68	(1) the facility's transfer of a retired animal to the
69	69	organization, shelter, or individual; or
70	70	(2) the adoption of a retired animal by an individual
71	71	through the organization or shelter.
72	72	Sec. 830.005. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt
73	73	rules necessary to implement this chapter.
74	74	SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.