Bill Text: TX SB97 | 2025-2026 | 89th Legislature | Introduced

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Bill Title: Relating to the assessment, destruction, and release of certain deer.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2025-02-03 - Referred to Water, Agriculture, & Rural Affairs [SB97 Detail]

Download: Texas-2025-SB97-Introduced.html

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89R3750 BEE-F
By: Hall S.B. No. 97

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the assessment, destruction, and release of certain
deer.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter L, Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife
Code, is amended by adding Section 43.3635 to read as follows:
Sec. 43.3635. RELEASE OF BREEDER DEER AFTER NEGATIVE TEST
RESULT. Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, a
breeder deer for which a negative test result is obtained during an
epidemiological assessment conducted under Section 43.953(a) may
be released onto a release site in accordance with Section 43.361 at
any time on or before the 14th day after the date of the negative
test result.
SECTION 2. Section 43.953(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(a) Before any deer may be destroyed under this subchapter:
(1) an agent of the animal health commission:
(A) shall [may] conduct an epidemiological
assessment of the deer considered for destruction; and
(B) must obtain a positive test result from the
deer using the least intrusive test feasible, provided that the
test:
(i) may not be performed on tonsillar
tissue; and
(ii) must be conducted at the site where the
deer would be destroyed[:
[(A) if the assessment can be conducted in a
timely manner; and
[(B) contingent on the availability of funding];
and
(2) the department must consider the results of the
[an] assessment[, if] conducted[,] under Subdivision (1).
SECTION 3. Section 43.954(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
amended to read as follows:
(b) A notice provided under this section must be sent by
certified mail to the last known address of the permit holder and
must contain:
(1) the date of destruction, which may not be sooner
than the 10th day after the date of the notice;
(2) an explanation of any access restrictions imposed
on the facility or acreage covered by the permit during the
destruction of the deer; and
(3) an explanation of the reasons for the destruction,
including the results of the [any] epidemiological assessment
conducted under Section 43.953(a) applicable to the deer that are
the subject of the notice.
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Parks and Wildlife Commission shall adopt or amend
rules as necessary to comply with the changes in law made by this
Act.
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2025.