Bill Text: TX HB921 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Relating to the intake and disposition records of animal shelters and releasing agencies.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-02 - Considered in Calendars [HB921 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-HB921-Comm_Sub.html
By: Rosenthal, Ortega, Buckley | H.B. No. 921 |
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relating to the intake and disposition records of animal shelters | ||
and releasing agencies. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. The heading to Chapter 823, Health and Safety | ||
Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 823. ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES | ||
SECTION 2. Section 823.001, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended by adding Subdivision (5) to read as follows: | ||
(5) "Releasing agency" has the meaning assigned by | ||
Section 828.001. | ||
SECTION 3. Section 823.002, Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 823.002. EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES, CLINICS, AND | ||
FACILITIES. Except as provided by Sections 823.003(e) and | ||
823.010, this [ |
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(1) a county having a population of less than 75,000; | ||
(2) a veterinary medicine clinic; or | ||
(3) a livestock commission facility. | ||
SECTION 4. Section 823.003(e), Health and Safety Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
(e) The executive commissioner of the Health and Human | ||
Services Commission shall [ |
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animal shelter or releasing agency to keep records as required by | ||
Section 823.010. The executive commissioner may require the | ||
shelter or agency [ |
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inspection at reasonable times. | ||
SECTION 5. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended | ||
by adding Section 823.010 to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 823.010. INTAKE AND DISPOSITION RECORDS FOR ANIMAL | ||
SHELTERS AND RELEASING AGENCIES. (a) Each animal shelter, | ||
including a shelter operated by a municipality, or releasing agency | ||
operated in this state shall prepare and maintain records on the | ||
intake and disposition of animals in the care of the shelter or | ||
agency, including: | ||
(1) the total number of live animals taken in by the | ||
shelter or agency, categorized by: | ||
(A) species, as dog, cat, or other; and | ||
(B) age, as up to five months or adult; | ||
(2) the reason an animal was taken in by the shelter or | ||
agency, including whether the animal was: | ||
(A) surrendered by the animal's owner; | ||
(B) surrendered by the animal's owner and the | ||
owner requested that the animal be euthanized; | ||
(C) impounded as a stray animal or an animal at | ||
large; | ||
(D) confiscated; | ||
(E) transferred to the shelter or agency from a | ||
location in this state; | ||
(F) transferred to the shelter or agency from a | ||
location outside this state; or | ||
(G) born in the shelter or under the care of the | ||
agency; | ||
(3) the number of animals at the shelter or agency on | ||
the last day of each month, categorized by species, as dog, cat, or | ||
other, and age, as up to five months or adult; and | ||
(4) the disposition of each animal taken in by the | ||
shelter or agency, categorized by species, as dog, cat, or other, | ||
and age, as up to five months or adult, including whether the | ||
animal: | ||
(A) was adopted; | ||
(B) was reclaimed by the animal's owner; | ||
(C) died in the shelter or under the care of the | ||
agency; | ||
(D) was transferred from the shelter or agency; | ||
(E) was euthanized by the shelter or agency on a | ||
decision made by the shelter or agency; | ||
(F) was euthanized at the owner's request; | ||
(G) was returned to the field as part of a | ||
sterilization program; or | ||
(H) was lost or stolen while in the shelter's or | ||
agency's care. | ||
(b) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall monthly | ||
prepare the records required by Subsection (a). | ||
(c) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall maintain | ||
records prepared under Subsection (a) until at least the third | ||
anniversary of the date the record was prepared. | ||
(d) An animal shelter or releasing agency shall make the | ||
records required by this section available to the public by: | ||
(1) posting the records on the shelter's, | ||
municipality's, or agency's Internet website; or | ||
(2) for a shelter, municipality, or agency that does | ||
not have an Internet website, making the records available in a form | ||
regularly maintained by the shelter, municipality, or agency for | ||
inspection and copying. | ||
SECTION 6. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to | ||
an animal placed at or disposed of by an animal shelter or releasing | ||
agency or counted in the shelter's or agency's animal total on or | ||
after the effective date of this Act. | ||
SECTION 7. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |