BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1919

By: Price

Criminal Jurisprudence

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties report that in recent years there have been many news stories about domestic dogs attacking persons in urban, suburban, and rural areas in Texas. Some of these dog attacks have resulted in serious bodily injury and, in some cases, death. The parties note that while a person has a defense to prosecution for the offense of cruelty to an animal in the case of a dangerous wild animal, no such defense to prosecution exists when a person injures or kills a dog that threatens or attacks a person.  H.B. 1919 seeks to provide a defense to prosecution if a person injures or kills a domestic dog if the person had a reasonable fear of serious bodily injury to the person or another person.  

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. 1919 amends the Penal Code to establish a defense to prosecution for the offense of cruelty to nonlivestock animals if the actor had a reasonable fear of serious bodily injury to the actor or to another person by a dog.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2011.