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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(d), Penal Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(d) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that: |
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(1) the actor had a reasonable fear of: |
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(A) bodily injury to the actor or to another |
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person by a dangerous wild animal as defined by Section 822.101, |
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Health and Safety Code; or |
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(B) serious bodily injury to the actor or to |
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another person by a dog as defined by Section 822.041, Health and |
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Safety Code; or |
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(2) the actor was engaged in bona fide experimentation |
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for scientific research. |
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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 when the offense was committed, and |
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the former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes |
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of this section, an offense was committed before the effective date |
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of this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2011. |