79R6687 UM-F

By:  Quintanilla                                                  H.B. No. 1963



A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to appeal of certain court orders relating to an animal.             
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 821.025(a), Health and Safety Code, is 
amended to read as follows:
	(a)  An owner of an animal ordered sold at public auction, 
given to a nonprofit animal shelter, pound, or society for the 
protection of animals, or humanely destroyed as provided in this 
subchapter may appeal the order to a county court or county court at 
law in the county in which the justice or municipal court is 
located.  As a condition of perfecting an appeal, the owner must 
file an appeal bond in an amount determined by the justice or 
municipal court to be adequate to cover the estimated expenses 
incurred in housing and caring for the impounded animal during the 
appeal process.  The decision of the county court or county court at 
law may not be further appealed.  [An owner may not appeal an order:
		[(1)  to give the animal to a nonprofit animal shelter, 
pound, or society for the protection of animals; or
		[(2)  to humanely destroy the animal.]                       
	SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only 
to an appeal of a court order made on or after the effective date of 
this Act.   An appeal of a court order made before the effective date 
of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the appeal was made, 
and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.
	SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2005.