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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Texas Equine Incentive Program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Chapter 12, Agriculture Code, is amended by |
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adding Section 12.044 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 12.044. EQUINE INCENTIVE PROGRAM. (a) The department |
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shall create and administer an equine incentive program to provide |
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an incentive for the owners of certain Texas-based horses to enter |
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the horses as participants in horse events in this state. The |
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program may apply only to the following breeds of horses: |
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(1) Thoroughbreds; |
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(2) paint horses; and |
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(3) quarter horses. |
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(b) On the filing of an annual report with the applicable |
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breeders' association, the owner of a stallion that has bred more |
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than five mares during the 12-month period preceding the report |
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shall submit a duplicate of the report to the department for the |
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sixth and any subsequent mare bred by the stallion. An owner |
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required to submit a duplicate breeding report by this subsection |
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shall pay the department an equine incentive program fee in an |
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amount of not less than $30 per mare bred, as determined by the |
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department, in connection with each report submitted to the |
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department. |
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(c) An owner required by Subsection (b) to submit a |
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duplicate breeding report and equine incentive program fee may |
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elect not to participate in the program by giving written notice to |
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the department not later than the 30th day before the owner's annual |
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breeding report is due to the applicable breeders' association. |
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(d) Notwithstanding Subsection (b), the owner of a stallion |
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that has bred less than six mares may elect to participate in the |
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program by submitting a duplicate breeding report and paying the |
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equine incentive program fee required by Subsection (b) for each |
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mare bred by the stallion. |
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(e) The department by rule shall provide for the use of fees |
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collected under Subsection (b) to grant equine incentive awards to |
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the owners of eligible foals that participate in horse events in |
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this state. A foal is eligible for an incentive award under this |
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section only if an equine incentive program fee has been paid on |
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behalf of the foal's dam. |
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(f) The department by rule shall establish a point system by |
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which the owner of an eligible foal may receive an equine incentive |
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award based on the foal's participation in horse events held in this |
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state that are sanctioned by the applicable horse breeders' |
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association. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |