BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3117

By: Homer

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Current law specifically regulates possession and transportation of dangerous wild animals in Texas.  However, these regulations make it difficult for a person to practice predator control. 

H.B. 3117 provides certain exemptions from provisions regarding dangerous wild animals for a person who captures or traps a cougar, bobcat, or coyote as part of a predator or depredation control activity.

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. 3117 amends the Health and Safety Code to clarify that provisions regarding dangerous wild animals do not apply to a person holding a rehabilitation permit issued by the Parks and Wildlife Department who, while rehabilitating, treating, or caring for an injured, infirm, orphaned, or abandoned dangerous wild animal, holds such a permit for the species of animal being rehabilitated.  The bill exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in the possession, custody, or control of a cougar, bobcat, or coyote, who has captured or trapped, rather than trapped, such an animal as part of a predator or depredation control activity.  The bill removes language limiting the exemption to a county west of the Pecos River that has a population of less than 25,000. The bill also exempts from the provisions regarding dangerous wild animals a person in possession, custody, or control of such an animal who, as part of a predator or depredation control activity, transfers the cougar, bobcat, or coyote to a person permitted to receive the animal or who specializes in lure production or dog training as those activities relate to a predator or depredation control activity.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2009.