By: Herrero (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 2649

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 29, 2013; May 3, 2013, read first time and referred to Committee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs, and Homeland Security; May 15, 2013, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 3, Nays 0; May 15, 2013, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the punishment for violating certain rules or permit terms under a permit to trap, transport, and transplant certain animals.

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

SECTION 1. Section 43.062, Parks and Wildlife Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 43.062. PENALTY. (a) Except as provided by Subsection (b), a [A] person who violates any provision of this subchapter or the terms of a permit issued under this subchapter commits an offense that is a Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor.

(b) A person commits an offense that is a Class C Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor if the person violates:

(1) a rule relating to a reporting requirement for a permit issued under this subchapter; or

(2) a term of a permit issued under this subchapter that relates to a reporting requirement.

SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is covered by the law in effect when the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense was committed before that date.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this Act takes effect September 1, 2013.

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