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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to an animal identification program. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subsections (a), (c), and (d), Section 161.056, |
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Agriculture Code, are amended to read as follows: |
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(a) In order to provide for disease control and enhance the |
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ability to trace disease-infected animals or animals that have been |
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exposed to disease, the commission may develop and implement an |
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animal identification program that is no more stringent than a |
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federal animal disease traceability or other federal animal |
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identification program [consistent with the United States
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Department of Agriculture's National Animal Identification
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System]. |
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(c) The commission may adopt rules to require the use of |
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official identification [numbers assigned] as part of the animal |
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identification program under Subsection (a) for animal disease |
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control or[,] animal emergency management[, and other commission
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programs]. |
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(d) The commission may by a two-thirds vote adopt rules to |
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provide for an animal identification program more stringent than a |
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program allowed by Subsection (a) only for control of a specific |
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animal disease or for animal emergency management [establish a date
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by which all premises must be registered and may assess a
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registration fee on all entities that register for a premises
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identification number]. |
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SECTION 2. Subsections (b), (g), and (h), Section 161.056, |
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Agriculture Code, are repealed. |
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SECTION 3. (a) The changes in law made by this Act to |
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Section 161.056, Agriculture Code, do not supersede rules of the |
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Texas Animal Health Commission implementing an animal |
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identification program adopted under Section 161.056, Agriculture |
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Code, prior to the amendment of that section by this Act. Those |
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rules are continued in effect until amended or repealed as if this |
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Act had not been enacted, and the former law is continued in effect |
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for that purpose. |
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(b) Rules adopted under Section 161.056, Agriculture Code, |
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and amendments to existing rules adopted under Section 161.056, |
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Agriculture Code, after the effective date of this Act must be made |
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in conformity with the changes in law made by this Act. |
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SECTION 4. (a) The repeal by this Act of Subsection (g), |
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Section 161.056, Agriculture Code, does not apply to an offense |
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committed under that subsection before the effective date of this |
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Act. For purposes of this section, an offense is committed before |
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the effective date of this Act if any element of the offense occurs |
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before that date. |
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(b) An offense committed before the effective date of this |
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Act is governed by Subsection (g), Section 161.056, Agriculture |
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Code, as it existed when the offense was committed, and the former |
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law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |
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* * * * * |