81R9858 TRH-D
 
  By: Deuell S.B. No. 1851
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the posting of notice by a county sheriff regarding
  impounded estrays.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 142.009(d), Agriculture Code, is amended
  to read as follows:
         (d)  If the owner of the estray is unknown, the sheriff or the
  sheriff's designee shall make a diligent search for the identity of
  the owner of the estray, including a search in the county register
  of recorded brands, if the animal has an identifiable brand. If the
  search does not reveal the owner, the sheriff shall post a notice of
  the impoundment on the public notice board of the courthouse and:
               (1)  advertise the impoundment of the estray in a
  newspaper of general circulation in the county at least twice
  during the 15 days after the date of impoundment; or
               (2)  post a notice of the impoundment on the Internet
  website of:
                     (A)  the county in which the estray is impounded;
  and
                     (B)  the sheriff's department of the county in
  which the estray is impounded, if the sheriff's department
  maintains a separate Internet website [and shall post a notice of
  the impoundment on the public notice board of the courthouse].
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.