C.S.H.B. 151 78 ) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 151 By: Farabee Agriculture & Livestock Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Many Texas ranchers and cattlemen are losing livestock due to attacks by domestic dogs. Currently, there is no statewide statute that protects the owners of livestock who may need to use deadly force to protect their livestock from these attacks. C.S.H.B. 151 amends Chapter 822 of the Texas Health and Safety Code to uniformly include "livestock", including exotic livestock, to allow owners of livestock to protect these animals and to make domestic dog owners more accountable for their animals' actions. 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. ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 151 amends Chapter 822, Subchapter B, Health and Safety Code, to include calves or other livestock including exotic livestock as defined by Section 161.001, Agriculture Code. The bill moves provisions currently under the local option law under Subchapter C of the Health and Safety Code into general law under Subchapter B of the same Code. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. 151 modifies the original by adding a subsection to include "exotic livestock" under Subchapter B of the Health and Safety Code. The substitute differs from the original in that it does not transfer a provision under Subchapter C, relating to unmuzzled dogs.