Transcription of 87(R) SB 474 - Introduced version - Texas
1 BILLTO BE ENTITLEDAN ACTrelatingto theunlawfulrestraintof a dog;creatinga IT ENACTEDBY THE LEGISLATUREOF THE STATEOF ,Healthand SafetyCode,is amendedby addingSubchapterE to readas follows:SUBCHAPTERE. UNLAWFULRESTRAINTOF thissubchapter:(1)AA"Adequateshelter"mea nsa cleanandsturdystructure:(A)AAthatallowst hedogprotectionfromrain,hail,sleet,snow, and subfreezingtemperatures;and(B)AAwithdime nsionsthatallowthedog whileintheshelterto standerect,sit,turnaround,andliedownin anormalposition.(2)AA"Collar"meansa bandconstructedof nylon,leather,or similarmaterial,specificallydesignedto be placedaroundthe neckof a dog.(3)AA"Harness"meansa setof strapsconstructedofnylon,leather,or similarmaterial,specificallydesignedtore strainor controla dog.(4)AA"Owner"meansa personwho ownsor has custodyorcontrolof a dog.(5)AA"Properlyfitted"means,withrespe ctto a collar1234567891011121314151617181920212 2232487R1125 SRA-D1or harness,a collaror harnessthat:(A)AAis appropriatelysizedforthedog basedonthe dog s measurementsand bodyweight;(B)AAdoesnotchokethedogor impedethedog snormalbreathingor swallowing;and(C)AAis attachedaroundthe dogin a mannerthatdoesnot allowfor escapeand doesnot causepainor injuryto thedog.
2 (6)AA"Restraint"meansa chain,rope,tether,leash,cable,or otherdevicethatattachesa dog to a DOG;OFFENSE.(a)Anownermaynotleavea dogoutsideandunattendedby useof arestraintunlessthe ownerprovidesthe dog accessto:(1)AAadequateshelter;(2)AAan areathatallowsthedogto avoidstandingwater;(3)AAshadefromdirects unlight;and(4)AApotablewater.(b)AAAn ownermay not restraina dog outsideand unattendedby use of a restraintthat:(1)AAis a chain;(2)AAhas weightsattached;(3)AAis shorterin lengththanthe greaterof:(A)AAfivetimesthe lengthof the dog,as measuredfromthe tip of the dog s noseto the baseof the dog s tail;or(B)AA10 feet; (4)AAis notattachedto a properlyfittedcollarorharness;or(5)AAcau sespainor injuryto the dog.(c)AAA personcommitsan offenseif eachdogthatis inviolationis a separateoffense.(d)AAAn offenseunderthissectionis a ClassC misdemeanor,exceptthatthe offenseis a ClassB misdemeanorif the personhaspreviouslybeenconvictedunderthi ssection.
3 (e)AAIf conductconstitutingan offenseunderthissectionalsoconstitutesan offenseunderany otherlaw,the actormay beprosecutedunderthissection,the otherlaw,or (a)It is an exceptionto theapplicationof :(1)AAthe ownerusesa restrainton the dog in a publiccampingor recreationalareain compliancewiththe requirementsofthepubliccampingor recreationalareaas definedby a federal,state,or localauthorityor jurisdiction;(2)AAtheownerusesa restrainton thedogwhiletheowneranddogengagein,or activelytrainfor,an activityconductedundera validlicenseissuedby thisstateprovidedtheactivityis associatedwiththe use or presenceof a dog;(3)AAtheownerusesa restrainton thedogwhiletheownerand dog engagein conductdirectlyrelatedto the businessofshepherdingor herdingcattleor livestock;(4)AAtheownerusesa restrainton thedogwhiletheownerand dog engagein conductdirectlyrelatedto the ;(5)AAthe ownerleavesthe dog unattendedin an open-airtruckbed onlyfor the timenecessaryfor the ownerto completeatemporarytaskthatrequiresthe dog to be leftunattendedin thetruckbed;(6)AAtheowner,or anotherpersonwiththeowner spermission,takesthedogfromtheowner s residenceor propertyand restrainsthe dog for not longerthanthe timenecessaryfor theownerto engagein an activitythatrequiresthedogto betemporarilyrestrained;or(7)AAtheowneru sesa restrainton thedogwhiletheownerand dog are engagedin, or activelytrainingfor,huntingorfieldtriali ng.
4 (b) (b)(3)doesnotapplyto a restraintattachedto a trolleysystemthatallowsa dogto movealongarunninglinefora distanceequalto or greaterthanthelengthsspecifiedunderthats ubdivision.(c)AAThissubchapterdoesnot prohibita personfromwalkinga dog witha SUBCHAPTERON localregulationrelatingto therestraintof a dogor affecttheauthorityof a politicalsubdivisionto adoptor enforcean ordinanceor requirementrelatingto the restraintof a dog if the regulation,ordinance,orrequirement:(1)AA is compatiblewithand equalto or morestringentthana requirementprescribedby thissubchapter; (2)AArelatesto an issuenot , Chapter821,HealthandSafetyCode,is changein law madeby thisAct appliesonlyto an offensecommittedon or afterthe effectivedateof offensecommittedbeforetheeffectivedateof thisActisgovernedby the law in effecton the datethe offensewas committed,andtheformerlawis continuedin thissection,an offensewascommittedbeforetheeffectivedat eof thisAct if any elementof the takeseffectSeptember1.
