By: Paul, Price, et al. H.B. No. 652
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to notice of an animal's possible exposure in an animal
  shelter to certain communicable or infectious diseases.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended
  by adding Section 823.004 to read as follows:
         Sec. 823.004.  NOTICE OF CERTAIN COMMUNICABLE OR INFECTIOUS
  DISEASES. (a) The department, in consultation with the State Board
  of Veterinary Medical Examiners, shall develop and the department
  and board shall each post on the agency's Internet website a model
  electronic or written notice regarding an animal's possible
  exposure to a communicable or infectious disease while the animal
  is in an animal shelter. At a minimum the notice must:
               (1)  warn a person who adopts an animal from a shelter
  about the animal's possible exposure to common communicable or
  infectious diseases, the incubation period for those diseases, and
  the need to monitor the animal for two weeks; and
               (2)  encourage the person to have a veterinarian
  examine the adopted animal after adoption.
         (b)  An animal shelter may provide the notice developed under
  Subsection (a) to a person at the time the person adopts an animal
  from the shelter.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.