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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to conditions of community supervision for defendants |
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convicted of certain criminal offenses involving animals. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 42A.511, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Art. 42A.511. COMMUNITY SUPERVISION FOR CERTAIN OFFENSES |
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INVOLVING ANIMALS. If a judge grants community supervision to a |
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defendant convicted of an offense under Section 42.09, 42.091, |
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42.092, or 42.10, Penal Code, the judge may require the defendant |
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to: |
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(1) complete an online responsible pet owner course |
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approved by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation; or |
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(2) attend a responsible pet owner course sponsored by |
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a municipal animal shelter, as defined by Section 823.001, Health |
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and Safety Code, that: |
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(A) [(1)] receives federal, state, county, or |
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municipal funds; and |
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(B) [(2)] serves the county in which the court is |
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located. |
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SECTION 2. Not later than the 120th day after the effective |
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date of this Act, the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation |
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shall approve at least one online responsible pet owner course for |
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the purposes of Article 42A.511, Code of Criminal Procedure, as |
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amended by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |