By: Fallon  S.B. No. 899
         (In the Senate - Filed March 1, 2019; March 1, 2019, read
  first time and referred to Committee on Water & Rural Affairs;
  April 11, 2019, reported favorably by the following vote:  Yeas 7,
  Nays 0; April 11, 2019, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to prohibiting the sale and purchase of certain aquatic
  products; creating a criminal offense; increasing a criminal
  penalty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 47, Parks and Wildlife
  Code, is amended by adding Section 47.0121 to read as follows:
         Sec. 47.0121.  UNLAWFUL COMMERCIAL SALE OR PURCHASE OF
  AQUATIC PRODUCTS. A person commits an offense if the person
  purchases for resale or receives for sale, barter, exchange,
  transport, or any other commercial purpose aquatic products that
  are taken, possessed, transported, or sold in violation of a
  federal or state law or regulation.
         SECTION 2.  Section 47.051, Parks and Wildlife Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         Sec. 47.051.  PENALTY. Except as provided by Sections
  [Section] 47.052 and 47.053 [of this code], a person who violates a
  provision of this chapter commits an offense that is a Class C Parks
  and Wildlife Code misdemeanor.
         SECTION 3.  Subchapter C, Chapter 47, Parks and Wildlife
  Code, is amended by adding Section 47.053 to read as follows:
         Sec. 47.053.  PENALTY. (a)  A person who violates or fails
  to comply with Section 47.0121 commits an offense that is:
               (1)  a Class B Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor
  punishable by a fine of at least:
                     (A)  $500 if the weight of the aquatic products
  totals 10 pounds or more but less than 50 pounds; or
                     (B)  $1,000 if the weight of the aquatic products
  totals 50 pounds or more but less than 100 pounds;
               (2)  a Class A Parks and Wildlife Code misdemeanor
  punishable by a fine of at least:
                     (A)  $1,500 if the weight of the aquatic products
  totals 100 pounds or more but less than 200 pounds; or
                     (B)  $2,000 if the weight of the aquatic products
  totals 200 pounds or more but less than 300 pounds; or
               (3)  a Parks and Wildlife Code state jail felony for
  which, in addition to confinement, the person may be punished by a
  fine of at least:
                     (A)  $3,000 if the weight of the aquatic products
  totals 300 pounds or more but less than 500 pounds; or
                     (B)  $4,000 if the weight of the aquatic products
  totals 500 pounds or more.
         (b)  An offense under this section may be prosecuted in the
  county in which the aquatic products were unlawfully taken,
  possessed, transported, or sold or in any county through or into
  which the aquatic products were taken or transported.
         (c)  When aquatic products are obtained in violation of
  Section 47.0121 under one scheme or continuing course of conduct,
  whether from the same or several sources, the scheme or conduct may
  be considered as one offense and the weight of the aquatic products
  aggregated in determining the grade of the offense.
         SECTION 4.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
  to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.  
  An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
  governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed,
  and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose.  For
  purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the
  effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred
  before that date.
         SECTION 5.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
 
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