BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1586
By: Harris, Lucio
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Currently, the Texas deer breeding industry is required to follow an onerous reporting and monitoring procedure which requires duplicate reports to and inspections by the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) and the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC). These reports are time-consuming to breeders and agencies; sometimes more than half a day is spent with a TAHC animal inspector verifying herd composition, and another half a day obtaining copies from local veterinarians, completing different forms for each agency, and meeting with agency representatives.
In 2005, breeder fees were increased from $180 to $400 with the promise of a database that would expedite the permit process, but currently there is a two-year lag in reissuance. The delay in permit issuance is causing deer breeders great concern about compliance with mandatory legal requirements.
S.B. 1586 relates to the establishment of a shared database for deer breeder reporting requirements.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 46.369, Parks and Wildlife Code) of this bill.
Rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Animal Health Commission in SECTION 1 (Section 46.369, Parks and Wildlife Code) of this bill.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Subchapter L, Chapter 43, Parks and Wildlife Code, by adding Section 43.369, as follows:
Sec. 43.369. DEER BREEDER DATABASE. (a) Defines "database."
(b) Requires the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) in conjunction with the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC), not later than June 1, 2010, to develop and maintain a process for a database to be shared by both agencies. Requires that the database include the reporting data required to be provided by each deer breeder to TPWD and to TAHC.
(c) Requires TPWD and TAHC, to the extent possible, to share the database to eliminate the need for a deer breeder to submit duplicate reports to the two agencies.
(d) Requires the Texas Parks and Wildlife Commission (commission) and TAHC, by rule, to provide incentives to deer breeders whose cooperation results in reduced costs and increased efficiency by offering reduced fees for the deer breeder permit and a permit with an extended duration.
(e) Authorizes the commission and TAHC to adopt rules to implement this section.
SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2009.