| TO: | Honorable Craig Estes, Chair, Senate Committee on Agriculture, Rural Affairs & Homeland Security |
| FROM: | Ursula Parks, Director, Legislative Budget Board |
| IN RE: | HB2150 by Nevárez (Relating to exotic, nongame, and dangerous wild animals; authorizing a fee.), Committee Report 2nd House, Substituted |
The bill would amend the Health and Safety Code as it relates to the regulation of dangerous wild animals. "Wildlife sanctuary" would be defined as a non-profit that operates a place of refuge for certain wild animals. Bill provisions would not apply to an individual holding a rehabilitation permit issued under the Parks and Wildlife Code, or an organization that is an accredited member of the Zoological Association of America and a wildlife sanctuary accredited by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, the American Sanctuary Association or their respective successors if designated by the Department of State Health Services (DSHS).
The bill would provide that organizations or sanctuaries must report certain information to DSHS and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). DSHS may charge a fee, as described, to recover costs of accepting and processing notification forms used by the reporting entities described in bill provisions. The DSHS and TPWD report bill provisions would not represent a fiscal implication to each respective agency.
The bill would amend portions of the Parks and Wildlife Code relating to the classification of exotic and nongame animals. Bill provisions would remove elk from the definition of exotic animals subject to certain licensing, permitting and hunting requirements. The bill would exempt elk from certain provisions related to nongame animals. TPWD indicates bill provisions would not reflect a fiscal implication to the department.
The bill would take immediate effect if the bill receives two-thirds the vote in both houses. Otherwise, the bill would take effect September 1, 2013.
| Source Agencies: | 537 State Health Services, Department of, 802 Parks and Wildlife Department
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| LBB Staff: | UP, SZ, TB, KJo
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