1-1 By: Crownover, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Harris) H.B. No. 1732 1-2 (In the Senate - Received from the House April 14, 1999; 1-3 April 15, 1999, read first time and referred to Committee on 1-4 Natural Resources; May 5, 1999, reported favorably by the following 1-5 vote: Yeas 6, Nays 0; May 5, 1999, sent to printer.) 1-6 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-7 AN ACT 1-8 relating to testing of certain equine animals for equine infectious 1-9 anemia; providing a criminal penalty. 1-10 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-11 SECTION 1. Subchapter H, Chapter 161, Agriculture Code, is 1-12 amended by adding Section 161.149 to read as follows: 1-13 Sec. 161.149. TEST FOR EQUINE INFECTIOUS ANEMIA. (a) In 1-14 this section, "equine animal" includes horses, mules, asses, 1-15 ponies, and other members of the horse family, but does not include 1-16 zebras. 1-17 (b) A person commits an offense if the person transfers 1-18 ownership of an equine animal eight months of age or older that has 1-19 not tested negative for equine infectious anemia during the 12 1-20 months preceding the date of the transfer unless the equine animal: 1-21 (1) is a nursing foal that is transferred with its dam 1-22 and the dam has tested negative for equine infectious anemia during 1-23 the 12 months preceding the date of the transfer; or 1-24 (2) is sold to slaughter to be tested for equine 1-25 infectious anemia at a slaughter establishment. 1-26 (c) An offense under Subsection (b) is a Class C misdemeanor 1-27 unless it is shown on the trial of the offense that the defendant 1-28 has been previously convicted under this section, in which event 1-29 the offense is a Class B misdemeanor. 1-30 SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 1999. 1-31 SECTION 3. (a) The changes in law made by this Act apply 1-32 only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this 1-33 Act. For purposes of this Act, an offense is committed before the 1-34 effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs 1-35 before that date. 1-36 (b) An offense committed before the effective date of this 1-37 Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, 1-38 and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. 1-39 SECTION 4. The importance of this legislation and the 1-40 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an 1-41 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the 1-42 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several 1-43 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended. 1-44 * * * * *