86R10184 SLB-F
 
  By: Perry, Flores S.B. No. 810
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to the identification of breeder deer.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 43.3561, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 43.3561.  IDENTIFICATION OF BREEDER DEER. (a) In this
  section: 
               (1)  "Electronic identification device" means a tag or
  implant that uses radio frequency identification technology.
               (2)  "Identification tag" means a tag attached to the
  ear of a breeder deer for the purposes of identification that meets
  the requirements of this section.
               (3)  "Unique identifier" means five alphanumeric
  characters assigned by the department to uniquely identify a
  breeder deer. 
         (b)  Not later than March 31 of the year following the year in
  which a [the] breeder deer is born, the [a] breeder deer [held in a
  permitted deer breeding facility] must be identified by:
               (1)  attaching an [placing on each breeder deer
  possessed by the deer breeder a single, reasonably visible,
  durable] identification tag to either ear of the breeder deer in a
  manner so that the face of the tag is clearly visible on the
  anterior side of the ear; and
               (2)  applying a tattoo to the inner portion of either
  ear of the deer that:
                     (A)  is made with commercially available 5/16
  inch tattoo letters and numbers;
                     (B)  is legible, permanent, and green; and
                     (C)  bears the same unique identifier printed on
  the identification tag attached to the deer under Subdivision (1)
  [bearing an alphanumeric number of not more than four characters
  assigned by the department to the breeding facility in which the
  breeder deer was born and unique to that breeder deer.     A deer
  breeder is not required to remove the tag for any purpose but may
  remove the tag and replace the tag immediately to meet the
  requirements of this section].
         (c)  Except for a replacement identification tag described
  by Subsection (g), an identification tag applied under Subsection
  (b):
               (1)  must:
                     (A)  be commercially manufactured;
                     (B)  bear on the face the unique identifier for
  the breeder deer to which it is attached in black text placed by the
  manufacturer with characters not less than 5/16 inch wide and 1/2
  inch tall and spaced not less than 1/16 inch apart;
                     (C)  be permanently affixed so as not to be
  dislodged or removed easily;
                     (D)  be made of a material that is not likely to
  disintegrate or decompose; and
                     (E)  have sufficient contrast between the color of
  the text and the color of the tag to make the text characters
  clearly visible; and
               (2)  may bear additional information, provided that a
  dividing line placed by the manufacturer below the unique
  identifier separates the unique identifier from the additional
  information.
         (d)  The text of the unique identifier may be larger than the
  dimensions described by Subsection (c)(1)(B) but must maintain the
  same proportion of height and width.
         (e)  In addition to the requirements of Subsection (b), a
  deer breeder may use an electronic identification device to
  identify a breeder deer. The device must be approved by the United
  States Department of Agriculture and have an associated 15-digit
  animal identification number that begins with 840. If the device is
  a button type, the tag must be attached to the pinna of either ear.
  If the device is an implant, the device may not be implanted in or in
  contact with an edible muscle.
         (f)  The department shall create and maintain a database
  containing electronic identification device numbers submitted by
  deer breeders. The department may consider an electronic
  identification number as evidence of positive identification for a
  breeder deer that cannot be identified by either the identification
  tag or tattoo required by Subsection (b), provided that the deer
  breeder entered the electronic identification device number into
  the database before the department attempted to identify the
  breeder deer. The presence of an electronic identification device
  is not a defense to prosecution for a violation of the requirements
  of this section.
         (g)  A deer breeder immediately shall replace an
  identification tag that has been dislodged or damaged or that
  otherwise does not meet the requirements of Subsection (c) with
  another identification tag that meets the requirements of
  Subsection (c), except that a deer breeder may create and attach a
  replacement identification tag. A replacement identification tag
  must:
               (1)  be clearly visible;
               (2)  have legible writing written with a tag pen
  manufactured for use with the tag; and
               (3)  meet the requirements of Subsection (c), except
  for the requirement that the text be placed on the tag by the
  manufacturer.
         (h)  A deer breeder may remove an identification tag from a
  breeder deer for liberation purposes only after:
               (1)  a transfer permit for the breeder deer has been
  activated; and
               (2)  the deer breeder or deer breeder's agent has
  verified that the breeder deer bears a tattoo meeting the
  requirements of this section.
         (i)  The person transporting breeder deer must possess an
  identification tag that has been removed in accordance with
  Subsection (h) from each breeder deer being transported that does
  not bear an identification tag in the vehicle used to transport the
  breeder deer until the transfer permit has been completed.
         (j)  A deer breeder shall replace the identification tag of a
  breeder deer for which a transfer permit was activated but not
  completed before the transfer permit expires or is deactivated with
  a tag that meets the requirements of this section.
         (k)  A deer breeder may remove an identification tag at any
  time provided that the deer breeder immediately replaces the
  identification tag with a tag that meets the requirements of this
  section.
         (l) [(b)]  A person may not remove or knowingly permit the
  removal of a breeder deer held in a facility by a permittee under
  this subchapter unless the breeder deer has been tagged and
  [permanently and legibly] tattooed as required by this section [in
  one ear with the unique identification number assigned to the
  breeder in lawful possession of the breeder deer and specific to the
  breeding facility in which the breeder deer was born or initially
  introduced if from an out-of-state source].
         (m) [(c)]  A person may not knowingly accept or permit the
  acceptance of a breeder deer into a facility regulated under this
  subchapter unless the breeder deer has been tagged and [permanently
  and legibly] tattooed as required by this section [in one ear with
  the unique identification number assigned to the breeder in lawful
  possession of the breeder deer and specific to the facility in which
  the breeder deer was born or initially introduced if from an
  out-of-state source].
         SECTION 2.  Section 43.351(5), Parks and Wildlife Code, is
  repealed.
         SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Section
  43.3561, Parks and Wildlife Code, apply only to a breeder deer born
  on or after January 1, 2020. A breeder deer born before January 1,
  2020, is governed by the law in effect at the time the breeder deer
  was born, and the former law is continued in effect for that
  purpose.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.