| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | + | 89R9357 MP-F | |
| 1 | 2 | By: Eckhardt S.B. No. 1285 | |
| 2 | - | (In the Senate - Filed February 14, 2025; February 28, 2025, | |
| 3 | - | read first time and referred to Committee on Water, Agriculture and | |
| 4 | - | Rural Affairs; April 29, 2025, reported adversely, with favorable | |
| 5 | - | Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 8, Nays 1; | |
| 6 | - | April 29, 2025, sent to printer.) | |
| 7 | - | Click here to see the committee vote | |
| 8 | - | COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1285 By: Hancock | |
| 9 | 3 | ||
| 10 | 4 | ||
| 11 | 5 | ||
| 12 | 6 | ||
| 13 | 7 | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED | |
| 14 | 8 | AN ACT | |
| 15 | 9 | relating to the protection of bats. | |
| 16 | 10 | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | |
| 17 | 11 | SECTION 1. Section 63.101, Parks and Wildlife Code, is | |
| 18 | - | amended by amending Subsections (a) and (c) and adding Subsection | |
| 19 | - | (b-1) to read as follows: | |
| 20 | - | (a) Except as provided by Subsections (b) and (c), a [no] | |
| 21 | - | person may not: | |
| 22 | - | (1) entomb or hunt a live bat; or | |
| 12 | + | amended to read as follows: | |
| 13 | + | Sec. 63.101. PROTECTION OF BATS. (a) Except as provided by | |
| 14 | + | Subsections (b), (b-1), and (c), a [no] person may not: | |
| 15 | + | (1) confine or hunt a bat; or | |
| 23 | 16 | (2) sell, offer for sale, purchase, offer to purchase, | |
| 24 | 17 | or possess after purchase a bat or any part of a bat, dead or alive. | |
| 25 | - | (b-1) A bat or bat colony using a building or structure not | |
| 26 | - | occupied by people as a roost site may be controlled only by a | |
| 27 | - | nonlethal exclusion method that allows bats to leave but not | |
| 28 | - | reenter the building or structure. The exclusion method described | |
| 29 | - | by this subsection may not be implemented during the period each | |
| 30 | - | year beginning May 1 and ending August 31. | |
| 18 | + | (b) Subject to Subsection (b-1), a [A] bat may be removed or | |
| 19 | + | hunted if the bat is inside or on a building occupied by people. | |
| 20 | + | (b-1) A bat or bat colony using a building or structure as a | |
| 21 | + | roost site may be controlled only by a nonlethal exclusion method | |
| 22 | + | that allows bats to leave but not reenter the building or structure. | |
| 23 | + | The exclusion method described by this subsection may not be | |
| 24 | + | implemented during the period each year beginning May 1 and ending | |
| 25 | + | August 31. | |
| 31 | 26 | (c) This section does not apply to: | |
| 32 | 27 | (1) an animal control officer, a peace officer, a | |
| 33 | 28 | licensed pest control professional, or a health official who | |
| 34 | 29 | captures a bat that the officer, professional, or official | |
| 35 | 30 | considers injured or diseased; or | |
| 36 | 31 | (2) a person who transports a bat for the purpose of: | |
| 37 | 32 | (A) laboratory testing if the bat has exposed or | |
| 38 | 33 | potentially exposed humans or domestic animals to rabies; or | |
| 39 | - | (B) rehabilitation at a permitted rehabilitation | |
| 40 | - | facility if the bat has had no known prior exposure with humans | |
| 34 | + | (B) rehabilitation at a registered | |
| 35 | + | rehabilitation facility if the bat has had no known prior exposure | |
| 36 | + | with humans | |
| 41 | 37 | [(3) a person who is licensed to provide pest control | |
| 42 | 38 | services]. | |
| 43 | 39 | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. | |
| 44 | - | * * * * * |