Bill Text: TX SB121 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the adoption of cats and dogs previously used for research.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-23 - Left pending in committee [SB121 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB121-Introduced.html
86R184 KKR-D | ||
By: West | S.B. No. 121 |
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relating to the adoption of cats and dogs previously used for | ||
research. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Title 10, Health and Safety Code, is amended by | ||
adding Chapter 830 to read as follows: | ||
CHAPTER 830. ADOPTION OF CERTAIN RETIRED RESEARCH ANIMALS | ||
Sec. 830.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
(1) "Animal rescue organization" means a nonprofit | ||
charitable organization established primarily to rescue animals | ||
and find adoptive homes for the animals. | ||
(2) "Animal shelter" means a facility operated by a | ||
nonprofit charitable organization established primarily to shelter | ||
and care for stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals and | ||
find adoptive homes for those animals. | ||
(3) "Executive commissioner" means the executive | ||
commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. | ||
(4) "Research facility" means a facility as defined by | ||
Section 2(e), Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. Section 2132), that is | ||
licensed by or registered with the United States Department of | ||
Agriculture under that Act to conduct experiments on dogs or cats | ||
for education, research, science, or testing purposes. | ||
(5) "Retired animal" means a cat or dog previously | ||
used by a research facility in experiments conducted for education, | ||
research, science, or testing purposes that is no longer needed for | ||
those purposes. | ||
Sec. 830.002. LIMITATION. This chapter does not apply to a | ||
retired animal with a substantial medical condition that prevents | ||
the animal from successfully integrating into an adoptive home. | ||
Sec. 830.003. ADOPTION OF RETIRED ANIMALS. (a) A research | ||
facility, or its authorized employee or an authorized student of an | ||
institution of higher education associated with the facility, on | ||
retirement of a retired animal shall offer the animal for adoption: | ||
(1) through an animal rescue organization or animal | ||
shelter; or | ||
(2) by an individual through an arrangement between | ||
the facility and individual. | ||
(b) A research facility may not offer any retired animal to | ||
an animal rescue organization or animal shelter unless the facility | ||
has a written agreement with the organization or shelter addressing | ||
the transfer of the facility's retired animals to the organization | ||
or shelter. | ||
Sec. 830.004. IMMUNITY FROM CIVIL LIABILITY. A research | ||
facility that in good faith and in compliance with this chapter and | ||
rules adopted under this chapter provides a research animal to an | ||
animal rescue organization, animal shelter, or individual is immune | ||
from civil liability with respect to a claim that is based on: | ||
(1) the facility's transfer of a retired animal to the | ||
organization, shelter, or individual under this chapter; or | ||
(2) the adoption of a retired animal by an individual | ||
through the organization or shelter. | ||
Sec. 830.005. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt | ||
rules necessary to implement this chapter. | ||
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |