1-1 By: Wentworth S.B. No. 1194 1-2 (In the Senate - Filed March 7, 2001; March 8, 2001, read 1-3 first time and referred to Committee on Natural Resources; 1-4 March 26, 2001, reported adversely, with favorable Committee 1-5 Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; March 26, 2001, 1-6 sent to printer.) 1-7 COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 1194 By: Bernsen 1-8 A BILL TO BE ENTITLED 1-9 AN ACT 1-10 relating to the protection of bats; providing a penalty. 1-11 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: 1-12 SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 63, Parks and Wildlife 1-13 Code, is amended by adding Section 63.101 to read as follows: 1-14 Sec. 63.101. PROTECTION OF BATS. (a) Except as provided by 1-15 Subsections (b) and (c), no person may: 1-16 (1) hunt a bat; or 1-17 (2) sell, offer for sale, purchase, offer to purchase, 1-18 or possess after purchase a bat or any part of a bat, dead or 1-19 alive. 1-20 (b) A bat may be removed or hunted if the bat is inside a 1-21 building occupied by people. 1-22 (c) This section does not apply to: 1-23 (1) an animal control officer, a peace officer, or a 1-24 health official who captures a bat that the officer or official 1-25 considers injured or diseased; or 1-26 (2) a person who transports a bat for the purpose of 1-27 laboratory testing if the bat has exposed or potentially exposed 1-28 humans or domestic animals to rabies. 1-29 SECTION 2. Subsection (c), Section 63.104, Parks and 1-30 Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows: 1-31 (c) A person who violates Section 63.002 or 63.101 of this 1-32 code commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code 1-33 misdemeanor. 1-34 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2001, and 1-35 applies only to an act described by Section 63.101, Parks and 1-36 Wildlife Code, as added by this Act, committed on or after that 1-37 date. 1-38 * * * * *