By: Jackson	S.B. No. 498

	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
	AN ACT
	relating to the trapping and transport of surplus white-tailed
	deer.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
	SECTION 1.  Section 43.0612, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
	amended to read as follows:
	Sec. 43.0612.  TRAPPING AND TRANSPORTING SURPLUS
	WHITE-TAILED DEER; PERMIT REQUIRED. (a)  In this section:
	(1)  "Property[, "property] owners' association" has
	the meaning assigned by Section 202.001, Property Code.
	(2)  "Qualified individual" means an individual who has
	a wildlife management plan approved by the department.
	(b)  The department may issue to a qualified individual, a
	political subdivision, or a property owners' association a permit
	authorizing the trapping and transporting of surplus white-tailed
	deer found on the property owned by the qualified individual or
	within the boundaries of the political subdivision or the
	geographic area in which property subject to the property owners'
	association is located.
	(c)  Not later than the 30th day before the date of the first
	planned trapping and transporting of white-tailed deer, a qualified
	individual, a political subdivision, or a property owners'
	association shall file with the department an application showing
	that an overpopulation of white-tailed deer exists on [within] the
	property owned by the qualified individual or within the boundaries
	of the political subdivision or the geographic area in which
	property subject to the property owners' association is located.
	If the department issues a permit to a requesting qualified
	individual, political subdivision, or property owners'
	association, the permit shall contain specific instructions
	detailing the location to which the trapped white-tailed deer are
	to be transported or transplanted.
	(d)  After receipt of an application, the department may
	issue to the qualified individual, political subdivision, or
	property owners' association a permit specifying:
	(1)  the location to which trapped white-tailed deer
	must be transported; and
	(2)  the purpose for which the trapped deer are to be
	used.
	(e)  The department may deny a qualified individual, a
	political subdivision, or a property owners' association a permit
	if no suitable destination for the trapped white-tailed deer
	exists.
	(f)  A qualified individual, a political subdivision, or a
	property owners' association trapping and transporting
	white-tailed deer under this section must make reasonable efforts
	to ensure:
	(1)  safe and humane handling of trapped white-tailed
	deer; and
	(2)  minimization of human health and safety hazards in
	every phase of the trapping and transporting of white-tailed deer.
	(g)  A permit issued under this section may authorize a
	qualified individual, a political subdivision, or a property
	owners' association to trap and transport white-tailed deer only
	between October 1 of a year and March 31 of the following year,
	unless white-tailed deer found on the property owned by the
	qualified individual or within the boundaries of [in] the political
	subdivision or [in] the geographic area in which property subject
	to the property owners' association is located pose a threat to
	human health or safety, in which case the provision of Subsection
	(e) does not apply and a permit may authorize the qualified
	individual, political subdivision, or property owners' association
	to trap and transport white-tailed deer at any time of the year.
	(h)  A permit issued under this section does not entitle a
	person to take, trap, or possess white-tailed deer found on any
	privately owned land without the landowner's written permission,
	unless the permit holder is the landowner.
	(i)  The state is not liable for and may not incur any expense
	for the trapping and transporting of white-tailed deer under a
	permit issued under this section.
	(j)  The commission by rule may set and the department may
	[not] charge a fee not to exceed $300 for a white-tailed deer
	trapping and transporting permit issued under this section.
	(k)  The commission may adopt rules necessary for the
	implementation of this chapter, including rules which enhance the
	opportunity to relocate overpopulation of urban deer and relating
	to required notification, record-keeping, permit conditions, and
	the disposition of trapped white-tailed deer.  The commission shall
	adopt rules for determining the circumstances under which a
	qualified individual, political subdivision, or property owners'
	association may obtain a permit issued under this section.
	SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2011.