Bill Text: TX HB598 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to creating the criminal offense of possession of an animal by a person who has been previously convicted of an offense involving animal cruelty.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-05-24 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB598 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB598-Enrolled.html
H.B. No. 598 |
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relating to creating the criminal offense of possession of an | ||
animal by a person who has been previously convicted of an offense | ||
involving animal cruelty. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding | ||
Section 42.107 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 42.107. POSSESSION OF ANIMAL BY PERSON CONVICTED OF | ||
ANIMAL CRUELTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: | ||
(1) possesses or exercises control over an animal; and | ||
(2) within the five-year period preceding the date of | ||
the instant offense, has been previously convicted of an offense | ||
under: | ||
(A) Section 42.091, 42.092, or 42.10; or | ||
(B) federal law or a penal law of another state | ||
containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements | ||
of an offense described by Paragraph (A). | ||
(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor, | ||
except that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the defendant | ||
has been previously convicted of an offense under this section. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. | ||
______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
I certify that H.B. No. 598 was passed by the House on April | ||
19, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
voting. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Chief Clerk of the House | ||
I certify that H.B. No. 598 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
11, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. | ||
______________________________ | ||
Secretary of the Senate | ||
APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
Date | ||
_____________________ | ||
Governor |