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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the ownership of certain wildlife resources of this |
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state. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 1.011, Parks and Wildlife Code, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (b), (c), and (d) and adding |
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Subsection (e) to read as follows: |
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(b) All fish and other aquatic animal life are the property |
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of the people of this state if found [contained] in: |
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(1) the freshwater rivers, creeks, and streams and |
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public [in] lakes or sloughs subject to overflow from rivers or |
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other streams within the borders of this state; |
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(2) the bayous, lagoons, creeks, lakes, bays, and |
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inlets of this state; or |
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(3) that part of the Gulf of Mexico within the |
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jurisdiction of this state [are the property of the people of this |
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state]. |
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(c) All the beds and bottoms and the products of the beds and |
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bottoms of the public rivers, bayous, lagoons, creeks, lakes, bays, |
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and inlets in this state and of that part of the Gulf of Mexico |
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within the jurisdiction of this state are the property of this |
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state. The department [state] may permit the use of the waters and |
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bottoms and the taking of the products of the bottoms and waters. |
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(d) The department [Parks and Wildlife Department] shall |
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regulate the taking and conservation of fish, oysters, shrimp, |
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crabs, turtles, terrapins, mussels, lobsters, and all other kinds |
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and forms of marine life, or sand, gravel, marl, mud shell, and all |
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other kinds of shell in accordance with the authority vested in it |
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by this code. |
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(e) Any wild animal, including a fur-bearing animal, wild |
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bird, or wild fowl, described by Subsection (a) or fish or other |
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aquatic animal life described by Subsection (b) or (d) that is |
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possessed under a license or permit issued by the department |
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remains the property of the state. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021. |