ACM S.B. 143 75(R)BILL ANALYSIS CRIMINAL JURISPRUDENCE S.B. 143 By: Harris (Keel) 5-15-97 Committee Report (Unamended) BACKGROUND Currently, Texas law provides that it is a Class A misdemeanor if a person is convicted of cruelty to animals. It is hoped that increasing the penalty will deter incidents involving cruelty to animals. This bill will increase the punishment to a state jail felony if the person has previously been convicted two times of cruelty to animals. PURPOSE As proposed, S.B. 143 increases the punishment for the offense of cruelty to animals if a person has previously been convicted twice of cruelty to animals. 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. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.09(d), Penal Code, to provide that a person commits a Class A misdemeanor if the person is cruel to an animal, except that the person commits a state jail felony if the person has previously been convicted twice of cruelty to animals. SECTION 2. Makes application of this Act prospective. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 1997. SECTION 4. Emergency clause.