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.
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