| 1 | 1 | | 89R18932 MP-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Hughes S.B. No. 2801 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to a permit issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department for |
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| 10 | 10 | | certain hunting dog field trials; authorizing a fee. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended |
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| 13 | 13 | | by adding Subchapter J to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | SUBCHAPTER J. FIELD TRIAL PERMIT |
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| 15 | 15 | | Sec. 43.251. DEFINITIONS. In this subchapter: |
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| 16 | 16 | | (1) "Field trial" means a competitive hunting dog |
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| 17 | 17 | | event where dogs chase or pursue squirrels, fur-bearing animals, or |
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| 18 | 18 | | nongame animals under field conditions. |
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| 19 | 19 | | (2) "Field trial permit" means a permit issued under |
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| 20 | 20 | | Section 43.252. |
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| 21 | 21 | | (3) "Fur-bearing animal" has the meaning assigned by |
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| 22 | 22 | | Section 71.001. |
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| 23 | 23 | | (4) "Nongame" has the meaning assigned by Section |
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| 24 | 24 | | 67.001. |
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| 25 | 25 | | (5) "Squirrel" means gray or cat squirrels, fox |
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| 26 | 26 | | squirrels, or red squirrels. |
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| 27 | 27 | | Sec. 43.252. FIELD TRIAL PERMIT. (a) A person may apply to |
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| 28 | 28 | | the department in the manner prescribed by commission rules for a |
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| 29 | 29 | | permit under this section exempting registered participants in a |
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| 30 | 30 | | field trial held by the person from the hunting license |
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| 31 | 31 | | requirements of Chapter 42 while the individuals are participating |
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| 32 | 32 | | in the field trial. |
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| 33 | 33 | | (b) The department may issue a permit under this section |
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| 34 | 34 | | only for a field trial held on privately owned land or on public |
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| 35 | 35 | | land authorized under commission rules adopted under Section |
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| 36 | 36 | | 43.253(a). |
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| 37 | 37 | | (c) An application for a field trial permit must: |
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| 38 | 38 | | (1) be on a form prescribed by the department; and |
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| 39 | 39 | | (2) contain the following information: |
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| 40 | 40 | | (A) the name and address of the applicant; |
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| 41 | 41 | | (B) the address of the property on which the |
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| 42 | 42 | | field trial is to be held; |
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| 43 | 43 | | (C) the species of wildlife to be pursued in the |
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| 44 | 44 | | field trial; |
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| 45 | 45 | | (D) if applicable, the name of the hunting dog |
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| 46 | 46 | | club or organization sanctioning the field trial; and |
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| 47 | 47 | | (E) any other information required by the |
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| 48 | 48 | | department. |
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| 49 | 49 | | (d) The fee for a field trial permit is $50. |
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| 50 | 50 | | (e) A field trial permit is valid: |
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| 51 | 51 | | (1) for a period of nine consecutive days; and |
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| 52 | 52 | | (2) only on the land specified in the permit. |
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| 53 | 53 | | Sec. 43.253. COMMISSION RULES. (a) The commission shall |
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| 54 | 54 | | adopt rules specifying the public lands for which a field trial |
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| 55 | 55 | | permit may be issued. |
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| 56 | 56 | | (b) The commission may adopt rules as necessary to |
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| 57 | 57 | | administer this subchapter, including rules necessary to manage and |
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| 58 | 58 | | protect wildlife subject to a field trial permit. |
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| 59 | 59 | | Sec. 43.254. HUNTING LICENSE NOT REQUIRED DURING FIELD |
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| 60 | 60 | | TRIAL. An individual registered to participate in a field trial |
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| 61 | 61 | | held under a field trial permit is exempt from the hunting license |
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| 62 | 62 | | requirements of Chapter 42 while the individual is participating in |
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| 63 | 63 | | the field trial. |
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| 64 | 64 | | SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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| 65 | 65 | | of this Act, the Parks and Wildlife Commission shall adopt rules |
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| 66 | 66 | | necessary to implement Subchapter J, Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife |
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| 67 | 67 | | Code, as added by this Act. |
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| 68 | 68 | | SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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| 69 | 69 | | a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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| 70 | 70 | | provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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| 71 | 71 | | Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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| 72 | 72 | | Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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