|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the criminal penalties for the owner of a dog that |
|
attacks another person. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Section 822.005, Health and Safety Code, is |
|
amended by amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (b-1) to |
|
read as follows: |
|
(b) Except as provided by Subsection (b-1), an [An] offense |
|
under this section is a felony of the third degree [unless the
|
|
attack causes death, in which event the offense is a felony of the
|
|
second degree]. |
|
(b-1) An offense under this section is a felony of the |
|
second degree if the attack causes death, except that the offense is |
|
a felony of the first degree if the attack causes death to a person: |
|
(1) younger than 15 years of age; or |
|
(2) 65 years of age or older. |
|
SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
|
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
|
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
|
governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
|
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
|
purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
|
effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
|
before that date. |
|
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |