These bills are effective September 1, 2007.

HOUSE BILLS

HB 88 requires that companion animals and service animals be included in evacuation plans in the event of natural disasters.   PASSED.

HB 241 requires that heat alarm systems be installed in any vehicle used in a K-9 law enforcement program. The heat alarm system would activate when the temperature in the vehicle’s interior becomes dangerous to a police dog in the vehicle.  FAILED

HB 308 allows a blind person to legally hunt wild animals by using a laser sighting device while accompanied by a sighted person over the age of 13 years.  PASSED

HB 408 makes the barking by a dog outdoors in a neighborhood a nuisance if a reasonable person would find the noise objectionable.  FAILED

HB 604 allows a special appraisal for ad valorem tax purposes of land used for wildlife management under a conservation easement.  PASSED

HB 916 increases the penalty for causing one dog to fight with another from a Class A misdemeanor to a state jail felony and increases the penalty for attending a dog fighting exhibition from a Class C misdemeanor to a Class A misdemeanor.  PASSED

HB 1258 increases the penalties for injuring a police service animal from a state jail felony to a second degree felony if the defendant’s action results in killing the animal or seriously injuring the animal in a manner that permanently affects the animal’s ability to perform as a police service animal.

 FAILED (was amended onto another bill - SB 1562 – that PASSED)

HB 1308 allows private ownership of white-tailed and mule deer, and facilitates the ownership and breeding by owners of large ranches which then promote private hunts.

PASSED

HB 1309 require persons possessing or transporting certain poisonous and constrictor snakes to obtain a permit and be regulated by Texas Parks & Wildlife.  FAILED

HB 1355 owner of the dog and fails with criminal negligence to secure the dog, and the dog makes an unprovoked attack on another person at a location other than the owner’s property that causes serious bodily injury or death to the other person.  PASSED

HB 1411 prohibits owner from tethering a dog outside during certain hours and during extreme weather conditions and the use of certain collars and tether lengths.  PASSED

HB 1547 Inclusion of pets and other companion animals in protective orders.  FAILED

HB 1728 release certain information in rabies vaccination certificates and in municipal or county dog and cat registries.  PASSED

HB 2328 closes numerous “loopholes” in the current animal cruelty statute that for years have allowed many aggregated acts of animal cruelty to go unpunished.  PASSED

HB 2414 makes hunting from public roads or rights-of-way an offense under the Parks and Wildlife Code.  FAILED

HB 2476 legalizes the sale and possession of horse meat for human consumption. FAILED

HB 2966 requires that monies from specialty license plate fees such as the Animal Friendly License Plate be appropriated for their intended purpose.  FAILED

HB 3845 exempts from the required registration of dangerous wild animal a trapper who traps bobcats, cougars or coyotes and uses them in a predator control program or sells them to someone else to use in a predator control program.  FAILED

HB 3930 would change the law and allow owners to appeal the municipal or Justice Court's decision to a county court or county court at law.   FAILED

SENATE BILLS

SB 254 Prohibits the sale of live animals on a public highway or road or a public right-of-way or parking lot in counties with a population of over 1.3 million.   PASSED

SB 349 allow Harris county to effectively declare any pet as dangerous and impose fees and other requirements of the owner of the pet determined to be dangerous. FAILED

SB 1562 require animal control officers to have minimum number of hours of training and a certificate of completion of that training.  PASSED

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTIONS

HJR 70 Proposes a constitutional amendment establishing the right to hunt, fish and enjoy access to certain natural resources and the right to enjoy clean air and water.  FAILED

HJR 71 Proposing a constitutional amendment relating to the allocation and use of the sporting goods sales tax revenue to fund state and local parks.  FAILED

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