BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	S.B. 317
	By: Hughes
	Water & Rural Affairs
	5/27/2019
	Enrolled

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

Under current law, feral hogs must cause depredation on landowner's property in order to be taken without acquiring an annual hunting license. S.B. 317 strikes "causing depredation" from statue to allow all feral hogs in Texas to be taken without the need to acquire an annual hunting license. S.B. 317 does not affect hunters' education requirements or aerial hunting permits. (Original Author's/Sponsor's Statement of Intent)

S.B. 317 amends current law relating to the taking of feral hogs without a hunting license.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 42.002(c), Parks and Wildlife Code, to authorize a resident landowner or any person, with the consent of the landowner, to take feral hogs on the resident landowner's land without having acquired a hunting license, rather than authorizing a resident landowner or the landowner's agent or lessee to take feral hogs causing depredation on the resident landowner's land without having acquired a hunting license.

SECTION 2. Amends Section 42.005(f), Parks and Wildlife Code, to make conforming changes.

SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2019.