H.B. No. 716
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to bounties for certain predatory animals.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Section 825.031(a), Health and Safety Code, is
    1-5  amended to read as follows:
    1-6        (a)  The commissioners court of a county may pay bounties for
    1-7  killing predatory animals not listed on any state or federal
    1-8  protected species list <cougars, bobcats, jaguars, ocelots,
    1-9  jaguarondis, gray wolves, red wolves, Florida wolves, coyotes,
   1-10  javelinas, or rattlesnakes>.
   1-11        SECTION 2.  Section 825.031(c), Health and Safety Code, is
   1-12  amended to read as follows:
   1-13        (c)  The commissioners court may determine the amount of a
   1-14  <A> bounty to be paid under this section <may not exceed $5> for
   1-15  each animal.  The bounty <and> shall be paid from the general fund
   1-16  of the county<.  The bounty shall be paid> by a warrant drawn on
   1-17  that fund by the county judge on presentation of proof of
   1-18  destruction required by the commissioners court.  A bounty paid
   1-19  under this section may not exceed $20 for each animal unless
   1-20  approved by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission.
   1-21        SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the
   1-22  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   1-23  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   1-24  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
    2-1  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
    2-2  and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
    2-3  passage, and it is so enacted.