By:  Maxey                                            H.B. No. 1563
       73R5471 MI-F
                                 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
    1-1                                AN ACT
    1-2  relating to the rehabilitation of injured wildlife.
    1-3        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
    1-4        SECTION 1.  Subchapter C, Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife
    1-5  Code, is amended by adding Section 43.0235 to read as follows:
    1-6        Sec. 43.0235.  TRANSPORTATION AND POSSESSION OF INJURED
    1-7  WILDLIFE FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT OR REHABILITATION.  (a)  A person
    1-8  may transport injured protected wildlife to a licensed veterinarian
    1-9  for emergency medical treatment or to a person who holds a
   1-10  rehabilitation permit under this subchapter for emergency medical
   1-11  treatment or long-term rehabilitation without obtaining a permit
   1-12  under this subchapter or any other provision of this code.
   1-13        (b)  A licensed veterinarian may possess injured protected
   1-14  wildlife for purposes of emergency medical treatment without
   1-15  obtaining a permit under this subchapter or any other provision of
   1-16  this code.
   1-17        SECTION 2.  Section 43.025(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
   1-18  amended to read as follows:
   1-19        (b)  The application must be endorsed by two recognized
   1-20  specialists in the biological field concerned who are residents of
   1-21  the United States and have known the applicant for at least five
   1-22  years; except that endorsement is not required for an application
   1-23  for a permit to take alligators or marine life for aquarium
   1-24  purposes.  An endorsement of an application for a permit in which
    2-1  the rehabilitation of wildlife is authorized may be made by a
    2-2  specialist who has known the applicant for at least two years.
    2-3        SECTION 3.  The change in law made by Section 43.025(b),
    2-4  Parks and Wildlife Code, as amended by this Act, applies to an
    2-5  application for a rehabilitation permit under Subchapter C, Chapter
    2-6  43, Parks and Wildlife Code, that is submitted to the Parks and
    2-7  Wildlife Department on or after the effective date of this Act.
    2-8        SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1993.
    2-9        SECTION 5.  The importance of this legislation and the
   2-10  crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
   2-11  emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
   2-12  constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
   2-13  days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.