BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 349

By: Springer

County Affairs

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Many municipal housing authorities currently have language in their policies that restrict dog ownership based solely on breed, which is in conflict with state law that allows a municipality to have restrictions on dangerous dogs as long as the restrictions are not specific to one breed or several breeds of dogs. If an individual or family is seeking housing from a municipal housing authority and they have a dog that is singled out by a policy that is breed-specific and out of compliance with current law, they may end up surrendering the pet to a local shelter, which puts additional taxpayer burden on the shelter. Housing authorities are unilaterally creating their own dangerous dogs lists and thereby restricting ownership based on breed. S.B. 349 seeks to bring existing municipal housing authority policies concerning pet ownership into compliance with current law around dangerous dogs and to help keep families and pets together by requiring a housing authority policy permitting tenant ownership of a pet to comply with all applicable county or municipal restrictions on dangerous dogs imposed under statutory provisions regarding the local regulation of dangerous dogs.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

S.B. 349 amends the Local Government Code to require a housing authority policy permitting tenant ownership of a pet to comply with all applicable county or municipal restrictions on dangerous dogs imposed under statutory provisions regarding the local regulation of dangerous dogs.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2023.