By: Homer, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Harris) H.B. No. 968

(In the Senate - Received from the House March 30, 2009; April 27, 2009, read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture and Rural Affairs; May 7, 2009, reported adversely, with favorable Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 4, Nays 1; May 7, 2009, sent to printer.)

COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR H.B. No. 968 By: Estes

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of crossbows for hunting.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 43.201(a), Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows:

(a) Except as provided by Subsection (c) or (d), no person may hunt deer, turkey, or javelina (collared peccary) during an open archery season provided by law or by the proclamations of the commission and during which season only crossbows, [used by hunters with upper limb disabilities and] longbows, recurved bows, and compound bows may be used unless the person has acquired an archery hunting stamp issued to the person by the department. The commission by rule may prescribe requirements relating to possessing a stamp required by this subchapter. In a county that does not permit hunting with a firearm, a hunter may use a crossbow only if the hunter is a person with upper limb disabilities and has an archery hunting stamp.

SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies to a proceeding regarding hunting with a crossbow that is pending or filed on or after the effective date of this Act.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.

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