Amend SB 554 (house committee printing) by adding the
following appropriately numbered SECTIONS to the bill and
renumbering subsequent SECTIONS of the bill accordingly:
SECTION ____. Section 822.041, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by amending Subdivision (2) and adding Subdivision (3-a) to
read as follows:
(2) "Dangerous dog" means a dog that:
(A) makes an unprovoked attack on a person that
causes bodily injury and occurs in a place other than an enclosure
in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably certain to
prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own; [or]
(B) commits unprovoked acts in a place other than
an enclosure in which the dog was being kept and that was reasonably
certain to prevent the dog from leaving the enclosure on its own and
those acts cause a person to reasonably believe that the dog will
attack and cause bodily injury to that person; or
(C) is a pit bull breed of dog.
(3-a) "Pit bull breed of dog" means any Staffordshire
bull terrier, American Staffordshire terrier, American pit bull
terrier, or any mixed breed of dog that exhibits distinguishing
characteristics that substantially conform to the American Kennel
Club or United Kennel Club standards for those breeds.
SECTION ____. Section 822.042(g), Health and Safety Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(g) For purposes of this section, a person learns that the
person is the owner of a dangerous dog when:
(1) the owner knows of an attack described in Section
822.041(2)(A) or (B);
(2) the owner receives notice that a justice court,
county court, or municipal court has found that the dog is a
dangerous dog under Section 822.0423; [or]
(3) the owner is informed by the animal control
authority that the dog is a dangerous dog under Section 822.0421; or
(4) the person acquires a pit bull breed of dog.
SECTION ____. Section 822.0421(a), Health and Safety Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(a) If a person reports an incident described by Section
822.041(2)(A) or (B), the animal control authority may investigate
the incident. If, after receiving the sworn statements of any
witnesses, the animal control authority determines the dog is a
dangerous dog, it shall notify the owner of that fact.
SECTION ____. Section 822.0422(b), Health and Safety Code,
is amended to read as follows:
(b) A person may report an incident described by Section
822.041(2)(A) or (B) to a municipal court, a justice court, or a
county court. The owner of the dog shall deliver the dog to the
animal control authority not later than the fifth day after the date
on which the owner receives notice that the report has been filed.
The authority may provide for the impoundment of the dog in secure
and humane conditions until the court orders the disposition of the
dog.