S.B. No. 721
 
 
 
 
AN ACT
  relating to treatment and care provided by licensed medical
  professionals to animals in certain facilities.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 801.004, Occupations Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         Sec. 801.004.  APPLICATION OF CHAPTER.  This chapter does
  not apply to:
               (1)  the treatment or care of an animal in any manner by
  the owner of the animal, an employee of the owner, or a designated
  caretaker of the animal, unless the ownership, employment, or
  designation is established with the intent to violate this chapter;
               (2)  a person who performs an act prescribed by the
  board as an accepted livestock management practice, including:
                     (A)  castrating a male animal raised for human
  consumption;
                     (B)  docking or earmarking an animal raised for
  human consumption;
                     (C)  dehorning cattle;
                     (D)  aiding in the nonsurgical birth process of a
  large animal, as defined by board rule;
                     (E)  treating an animal for disease prevention
  with a nonprescription medicine or vaccine;
                     (F)  branding or identifying an animal in any
  manner;
                     (G)  artificially inseminating an animal,
  including training, inseminating, and compensating for services
  related to artificial insemination; and
                     (H)  shoeing a horse;
               (3)  the performance of a cosmetic or production
  technique to reduce injury in poultry intended for human
  consumption;
               (4)  the performance of a duty by a veterinarian's
  employee if:
                     (A)  the duty involves food production animals;
                     (B)  the duty does not involve diagnosis,
  prescription, or surgery;
                     (C)  the employee is under the direction and
  general supervision of the veterinarian; and
                     (D)  the veterinarian is responsible for the
  employee's performance;
               (5)  the performance of an act by a person who is a
  full-time student of an accredited college of veterinary medicine
  if the act is performed under the direct supervision of a
  veterinarian;
               (6)  an animal shelter employee who performs euthanasia
  in the course and scope of the person's employment if the person has
  successfully completed training in accordance with Chapter 829,
  Health and Safety Code;
               (7)  a person who is engaged in a recognized
  state-federal cooperative disease eradication or control program
  or an external parasite control program while the person is
  performing official duties required by the program;
               (8)  a person who, without expectation of compensation,
  provides emergency care in an emergency or disaster; [or]
               (9)  a consultation given to a veterinarian in this
  state by a person who:
                     (A)  resides in another state; and
                     (B)  is lawfully qualified to practice veterinary
  medicine under the laws of that state; or
               (10)  a licensed health care professional who, without
  expectation of compensation and under the direct supervision of a
  veterinarian on staff, provides treatment or care to an animal
  owned by or in the possession, control, or custody of an entity
  accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums or one of the
  following organizations that has a veterinarian on staff:
                     (A)  the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries;
  or
                     (B)  the Zoological Association of America.
         SECTION 2.  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, 2017.
 
 
 
 
 
  ______________________________ ______________________________
     President of the Senate Speaker of the House     
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 721 passed the Senate on
  March 20, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0; and that
  the Senate concurred in House amendment on May 25, 2017, by the
  following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Secretary of the Senate    
 
         I hereby certify that S.B. No. 721 passed the House, with
  amendment, on May 19, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 144,
  Nays 0, two present not voting.
 
 
  ______________________________
  Chief Clerk of the House   
 
 
 
  Approved:
 
  ______________________________ 
              Date
 
 
  ______________________________ 
            Governor