By: Shaheen, Bhojani H.B. No. 598
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to creating the criminal offense of possession of an
  animal by a person who has been previously convicted of an offense
  involving animal cruelty.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Chapter 42, Penal Code, is amended by adding
  Section 42.107 to read as follows:
         Sec. 42.107.  POSSESSION OF ANIMAL BY PERSON CONVICTED OF
  ANIMAL CRUELTY. (a) A person commits an offense if the person:
               (1)  possesses or exercises control over an animal; and
               (2)  within the five-year period preceding the date of
  the instant offense, has been previously convicted of an offense
  under:
                     (A)  Section 42.091, 42.092, or 42.10; or
                     (B)  federal law or a penal law of another state
  containing elements that are substantially similar to the elements
  of an offense described by Paragraph (A).
         (b)  An offense under this section is a Class C misdemeanor,
  except that the offense is a Class B misdemeanor if the defendant
  has been previously convicted of an offense under this section.
         SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.