By Allen                                              H.B. No. 1208
         77R3911 SGA-D                           
                                A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 1-1                                   AN ACT
 1-2     relating to exempting landowners from the requirement of obtaining
 1-3     a hunting license to hunt certain animals on the landowners'
 1-4     property.
 1-5           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
 1-6           SECTION 1. Chapter 42, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended by
 1-7     adding Section 42.0122 to read as follows:
 1-8           Sec. 42.0122.  LICENSE EXEMPTION FOR LANDOWNER. (a)  In this
 1-9     section, "nongame" means those species of vertebrate and
1-10     invertebrate wildlife indigenous to Texas that are not classified
1-11     as game animals, game birds, game fish, endangered species,
1-12     alligators, marine penaeid shrimp, or oysters.  The term includes
1-13     fur-bearing animals as defined by Section 71.001.  It does not
1-14     include exotic livestock as defined by Section 161.001(a),
1-15     Agriculture Code, aoudad sheep, elk, or a dangerous wild animal as
1-16     defined by Section 62.101.
1-17           (b)  The commission may not require a landowner to have a
1-18     hunting license to hunt a nongame animal on that person's land.
1-19           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
1-20     a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
1-21     provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this
1-22     Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
1-23     Act takes effect September 1, 2001.