BILL ANALYSIS

C.S.H.B. 3723

By: Phillips

Culture, Recreation & Tourism

Committee Report (Substituted)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note that a deer breeder in Texas, when eliminating white-tailed deer that are not needed for propagation, cannot sell those deer as venison. C.S.H.B. 3723 seeks to allow a deer breeder to process and sell as venison any breeder deer not needed for propagation.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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

C.S.H.B. 3723 amends the Parks and Wildlife Code to authorize the holder of a valid deer breeder's permit to transfer and sell live breeder deer not needed for propagation for the purpose of processing and sale as venison. The bill authorizes the Parks and Wildlife Commission to make regulations governing procedures for the identification, transfer, and sale of live breeder deer not needed for propagation for the purpose of processing and sale as venison. The bill conditions the transferring, processing, and selling of live breeder deer not needed for propagation as venison on those activities being in accordance with provisions relating to deer breeder's permit privileges and regulations and either the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act and rules adopted under the act or certain federal regulations as authorized by the federal Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946.

C.S.H.B. 3723 amends the Health and Safety Code to apply the Texas Meat and Poultry Inspection Act to breeder deer, identified by the Parks and Wildlife Department for the purpose of processing and sale as venison, in the same manner that the act applies to an exotic animal.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL AND SUBSTITUTE

C.S.H.B. 3723 differs from the original in minor or nonsubstantive ways by conforming to certain bill drafting conventions.