Bill Text: TX HB1203 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Comm Sub


Bill Title: Relating to the prosecution of the offense of cruelty to nonlivestock animals.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2023-05-09 - Committee report sent to Calendars [HB1203 Detail]

Download: Texas-2023-HB1203-Comm_Sub.html
  88R19991 SHH-D
 
  By: Ordaz, Meyer, Leach, Moody, Cook H.B. No. 1203
 
  Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1203:
 
  By:  Moody C.S.H.B. No. 1203
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the prosecution of the offense of cruelty to
  nonlivestock animals.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Sections 42.092(b) and (d), Penal Code, are
  amended to read as follows:
         (b)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally,
  knowingly, [or] recklessly, or with criminal negligence:
               (1)  tortures an animal or in a cruel manner kills or
  causes serious bodily injury to an animal;
               (2)  without the owner's effective consent, kills,
  administers poison to, or causes serious bodily injury to an
  animal;
               (3)  fails unreasonably to provide necessary food,
  water, care, or shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
               (4)  abandons unreasonably an animal in the person's
  custody;
               (5)  transports or confines an animal in a cruel
  manner;
               (6)  without the owner's effective consent, causes
  bodily injury to an animal;
               (7)  causes one animal to fight with another animal, if
  either animal is not a dog;
               (8)  uses a live animal as a lure in dog race training
  or in dog coursing on a racetrack; or
               (9)  seriously overworks an animal.
         (d)  It is a defense to prosecution under this section that:
               (1)  the actor had a reasonable fear of bodily injury to
  the actor or to another person by a dangerous wild animal as defined
  by Section 822.101, Health and Safety Code; [or]
               (2)  the actor was engaged in bona fide experimentation
  for scientific research; or
               (3)  the actor acted with criminal negligence during
  the actual discharge of the actor's duties while employed as a
  veterinarian licensed under Chapter 801, Occupations Code, or as a
  person assisting the veterinarian.
         SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For
  purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
  effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
  before that date.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
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