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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the sale and possession of horsemeat and the sale of |
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equine animals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Sections 149.002 and 149.003, Agriculture Code, |
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are amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 149.002. SALE OR POSSESSION OF HORSEMEAT. A person |
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commits an offense if: |
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(1) the person sells, offers for sale, or exhibits for |
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sale horsemeat as food for human consumption in the United States; |
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or |
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(2) the person possesses horsemeat with the intent to |
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sell the horsemeat as food for human consumption in the United |
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States. |
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Sec. 149.003. TRANSFER OF HORSEMEAT. A person commits an |
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offense if the person: |
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(1) transfers horsemeat to a person who intends to |
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sell the horsemeat, offer or exhibit it for sale, or possess it for |
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sale as food for human consumption in the United States; and |
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(2) knows or in the exercise of reasonable discretion |
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should know that the person receiving the horsemeat intends to sell |
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the horsemeat, offer or exhibit it for sale, or possess it for sale |
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as food for human consumption in the United States. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 146, Agriculture Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 146.009 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 146.009. SALE OF EQUINE ANIMAL; NOTICE REQUIRED. (a) |
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In this section: |
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(1) "Equine animal" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 161.149. |
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(2) "Livestock market" has the meaning assigned by |
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Section 161.111. |
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(b) The owner or operator of a livestock market shall |
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display in a prominent place in the livestock market a sign giving |
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notice that an equine animal sold at the market may be bought for |
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slaughter. The department by rule may prescribe the design or |
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wording of the sign. |
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SECTION 3. Section 149.004, Agriculture Code, is repealed. |
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SECTION 4. (a) The change in law made by this Act applies |
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only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this |
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Act. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before |
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the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense |
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occurred before the effective date. |
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(b) An offense committed before the effective date of this |
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Act is governed by the law in effect when the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007. |