BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 205

By: Aycock

Agriculture & Livestock

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently many municipalities across Texas have some variation of a "leash law" to control dogs.  Such ordinances require dogs to wear restraining devices when in the city limits. The majority of the ordinances do not account for dogs that are used for agricultural purposes, such as protection of a property owner's livestock. Dogs are a necessity for some livestock owners and, in order for a dog to be of use to the livestock owner, the dog cannot be restrained at all times.

H.B. 205 provides an exemption to leash law ordinances for dogs used for agricultural purposes on certain property.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 205 amends provisions of the Agriculture Code that govern the effect or non-effect of local governmental requirements on pre-existing agricultural operations. The bill provides that a governmental requirement of a city relating to the restraint of a dog does not apply to a dog used to protect livestock on property controlled by the property owner, notwithstanding other provisions of the law that in certain circumstances allow a city requirement to extend to an agricultural operation that has been annexed or otherwise brought within the corporate boundaries of the city.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.