BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center H.B. 836
By: Miller, Sid et al. (Hegar)
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Texas Wildlife Services, a diverse agribusiness service company, estimates that feral hogs are responsible for $400 million in direct damage to Texas every year. There are an estimated two million feral hogs in Texas, and they may be found in nearly every county. Texas Wildlife Services estimates that over $7.50 is saved in agricultural products for each dollar spent on feral hog control.
Hunting of feral hogs from helicopters is used to reduce hog populations in applicable regions. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture, over 75 percent of the state has suitable terrain and vegetative cover for hunting feral hogs from helicopters, and such hunting is a cost-effective method in areas where hogs have become conditioned to traditional trapping efforts or anywhere removal rates exceed 30 hogs per hour.
H.B. 836 authorizes the hunting of feral hogs from a helicopter and requires the Parks and Wildlife Commission to adopt rules governing such activity
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in SECTION 2 of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 43.109, Parks and Wildlife Code, by adding Subsection (c), to prohibit a proclamation or regulation of the Parks and Wildlife Commission (commission) adopted under this subchapter from prohibiting a person or the person's agent or lessee who holds a landowner's authorization and a permit under this subchapter from using a helicopter to take depredating feral hogs.
SECTION 2. Requires the commission, as soon as practicable after the effective date of this Act, to adopt rules to implement Section 62.003(c), Parks and Wildlife Code, as added by this Act [sic].
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2009.