BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 2333

By: Hughes

House Administration

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Under current law, seeing eye dogs are the only pets permitted to enter the Texas Capitol. This does not take into account the wide range of service dogs that aid in mobility assistance, seizure alert, diabetic alert, or even autism service. S.B. 2333 seeks to update current law relating to the regulation of visitors in the Capitol or on the Capitol grounds to reflect this reality by replacing the reference to seeing eye dogs with a reference to service dogs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 2333 amends the Government Code to revise the requirement that the State Preservation Board (SPB) rules regulating the actions of visitors in the Capitol and on the Capitol grounds provide that all pets except seeing eye dogs are not permitted in the Capitol by making the requirement applicable instead with respect to all pets except service dogs. The bill requires the SPB to update the rules as soon as practicable after the bill’s effective date.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2023.