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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a defense to prosecution for the offense of cruelty to |
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nonlivestock animals under certain circumstances. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 42.092, Penal Code, is amended by adding |
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Subsection (e-1) to read as follows: |
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(e-1) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (b)(4) |
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that the actor abandoned a stray or feral cat after spaying or |
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neutering the cat as part of a municipal or county |
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trap-neuter-release program. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is |
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governed by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, |
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and the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For |
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purposes of this section, an offense was committed before the |
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effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurred |
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before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |