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Senate Bill 1562 |
Senate Author: Hinojosa |
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Effective: See below |
House Sponsor: King, Phil |
Senate Bill 1562 amends the Health and Safety Code to establish training requirements for an animal control officer. The bill directs the Department of State Health Services, not later than December 1, 2007, to prescribe the standards and curriculum for basic and continuing education animal control courses and specifies required curriculum content, course availability, and certification procedures. It provides for certification of certain facilities and authorizes a fee for a course or certificate. The bill also permits a person to sue for injunctive relief to prevent or restrain a substantial violation of a provision relating to animal control officer training.
Senate Bill 1562 amends the Penal Code to expand the offense of interference with a police service animal to include injuring or engaging in behavior likely to injure a police service animal in a manner that would materially or permanently affect the animal's ability to perform its duties and to increase the offense from a third degree felony to a second degree felony.
Provisions relating to training requirements and injunctive relief take effect July 1, 2008; other provisions of the bill take effect September 1, 2007.