| |
| |
| |
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the uprooting of seagrass plants; creating an offense. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 66, Parks and Wildlife |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 66.024 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 66.024. SEAGRASS PLANTS. (a) In this section, |
|
|
"seagrass plant" means a flowering marine plant of the species: |
|
|
(1) Cymodocea filiformis, known as manatee grass; |
|
|
(2) Halodule beaudettei or Halodule wrightii, known as |
|
|
shoal grass; |
|
|
(3) Halophila engelmannii, known as star grass or |
|
|
Engelmann's seagrass; |
|
|
(4) Ruppia maritima, known as widgeon grass; or |
|
|
(5) Thalassia testudinum, known as turtle grass. |
|
|
(b) A person may not uproot or dig out any rooted seagrass |
|
|
plant from a bay bottom or other saltwater bottom area in the |
|
|
jurisdiction of this state by means of a propeller, except as that |
|
|
uprooting or digging out may be authorized by a commercial license |
|
|
or permit issued by the department. |
|
|
(c) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that a |
|
|
person: |
|
|
(1) anchors a vessel within an area containing |
|
|
seagrass plants and uproots a seagrass plant; |
|
|
(2) uses an electric trolling motor within an area |
|
|
containing seagrass plants and uproots a seagrass plant; or |
|
|
(3) operates a vessel in a manner consistent with the |
|
|
acceleration required to reach and stay on plane. |
|
|
(d) A person who violates this section or a proclamation of |
|
|
the commission under this section commits an offense that is a Class |
|
|
C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor. |
|
|
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
| |
| |
| |
______________________________ |
______________________________ |
| |
President of the Senate |
Speaker of the House |
| |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 3279 was passed by the House on May |
|
|
10, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 129, Nays 14, 2 present, not |
|
|
voting; and that the House concurred in Senate amendments to H.B. |
|
|
No. 3279 on May 23, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 118, Nays 28, |
|
|
2 present, not voting. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Chief Clerk of the House |
| |
|
|
I certify that H.B. No. 3279 was passed by the Senate, with |
|
|
amendments, on May 20, 2013, by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays |
|
|
1. |
|
|
|
|
|
______________________________ |
|
|
Secretary of the Senate |
|
|
APPROVED: __________________ |
|
|
Date |
|
|
|
|
|
__________________ |
|
|
Governor |