| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to creating the criminal offense of possession of an |
|
|
animal by a person who has been previously convicted of an offense |
|
|
involving animal cruelty. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
|
|
Section 42.107 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 42.107. POSSESSION OF ANIMAL BY PERSON CONVICTED OF |
|
|
ANIMAL CRUELTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person: |
|
|
(1) possesses or exercises control over an animal; and |
|
|
(2) within the five-year period preceding the date of |
|
|
the instant offense, has been previously convicted of an offense |
|
|
under: |
|
|
(A) Section 42.091, 42.092, or 42.10; or |
|
|
(B) federal law or a penal law of another state |
|
|
containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements |
|
|
of an offense described by Paragraph (A). |
|
|
(b) An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor, |
|
|
except that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the defendant |
|
|
has been previously convicted of an offense under this section. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 598 was passed by the House on April |
|
|
19, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 147, Nays 0, 1 present, not |
|
|
voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 598 was passed by the Senate on May |
|
|
11, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 0. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
APPROVED: _____________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
_____________________ |
|
|
Governor |