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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to termination of the ownership interest in an animal |
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impounded by an animal shelter. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 823.002, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended to read as follows: |
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Sec. 823.002. EXEMPTION FOR CERTAIN COUNTIES, CLINICS, AND |
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FACILITIES. Except as provided by Section 823.010, this [This] |
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chapter does not apply to: |
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(1) a county having a population of less than 75,000; |
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(2) a veterinary medicine clinic; or |
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(3) a livestock commission facility. |
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SECTION 2. Chapter 823, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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by adding Section 823.010 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 823.010. TERMINATION OF OWNERSHIP INTEREST IN |
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IMPOUNDED ANIMAL. (a) In this section, "animal rescue |
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organization" means a nonprofit charitable organization |
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established primarily to rescue animals and find adoptive homes for |
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the animals. |
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(b) Subject to Subsection (c), a person's ownership |
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interest in an impounded animal held in an animal shelter operated |
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in this state terminates on the date that: |
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(1) another person adopts the animal from the shelter; |
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or |
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(2) the shelter transfers the animal to an animal |
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rescue organization. |
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(c) An animal shelter may offer an animal for adoption or |
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transfer the animal as provided by Subsection (b)(2) only after the |
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shelter has complied with any applicable holding period set in an |
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ordinance or rule adopted by the governing body of the municipality |
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or county in which the shelter is located as authorized by Section |
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826.033. |
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SECTION 3. Section 823.010, Health and Safety Code, as |
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added by this Act, applies only to the termination of ownership |
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interest in an animal adopted from an animal shelter or transferred |
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from an animal shelter to an animal rescue organization on or after |
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the effective date of this Act. An adoption or transfer that occurs |
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before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in |
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effect immediately before that date, and the former law is |
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continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |