BILL ANALYSIS
By: Hardcastle
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The use of certificates of veterinary inspection, often called health certificates, is vital to ensure that only healthy and disease-free animals are moved within the state or exported to other states or countries. A licensed accredited veterinarian signs a certificate of veterinary inspection after having visually inspected such animals before issuance of a certificate. A fee of twenty-five cents for each certificate was established by statute in 1981. This fee no longer covers the cost of printing the certificates.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Animal Health Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.
ANALYSIS
This bill repeals a section in the Agriculture Code which sets a fee of twenty-five cents for each health certificate. In addition, it adds a section granting the Texas Animal Health Commission rulemaking authority to issue a health certificate of veterinary inspection and to set and charge a fee for each certificate.
EFFECTIVE DATE
This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.
Committee Amendment No. 1 strikes the "in this state" stipulation that was added to Section 161.061 of the Agriculture code by the introduced version of this bill. It just allows certificates of veterinary inspection to be issued for people transporting animals both within the state as well as outside of the state.