LEGISLATIVE BUDGET BOARD

Austin, Texas

FISCAL NOTE, 79TH LEGISLATIVE REGULAR SESSION

March 21, 2005

TO:	Honorable Harvey Hilderbran, Chair, House Committee on Culture, Recreation, & Tourism
FROM:	John S. O'Brien, Deputy Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:	HB2555 by Kuempel (Relating to dispatching game animals and game birds.), As Introduced

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

The bill would amend Chapter 61 of the Parks and Wildlife Code relating to a defense to prosecution for humane dispatching of game animals and game birds.  A person may humanely dispatch (meaning to kill by a humane method) a game animal or game bird that is mortally wounded, not through an act of hunting; or behaves in a manner that a diseased game animal or bird would typically behave; and leads a reasonable person to believe that the game animal or bird poses a substantial risk of serious harm to a person or wildlife.  The bill would authorize the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission to adopt rules administering the new provisions; however, any new administrative costs would be minimal and the bill is not anticipated to have a significant fiscal implication to the State.

The bill would take immediate effect if the bill receives two-thirds vote from both houses; otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2005. 

Local Government Impact

No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.

Source Agencies:

802 Parks and Wildlife Department

LBB Staff:

JOB, WK, ZS, TB