Bill Text: TX HB4164 | 2023-2024 | 88th Legislature | Introduced
NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Relating to the improper use and treatment of an assistance animal or service animal; increasing a criminal penalty.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-12 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB4164 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4164-Introduced.html
Bill Title: Relating to the improper use and treatment of an assistance animal or service animal; increasing a criminal penalty.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-1)
Status: (Passed) 2023-06-12 - Effective on 9/1/23 [HB4164 Detail]
Download: Texas-2023-HB4164-Introduced.html
88R10768 BDP-D | ||
By: Cortez | H.B. No. 4164 |
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relating to the improper use and treatment of an assistance animal | ||
or service animal; increasing a criminal penalty. | ||
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
SECTION 1. Section 121.006, Human Resources Code, is | ||
amended to read as follows: | ||
Sec. 121.006. [ |
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AND SERVICE ANIMALS; OFFENSE. (a) A person commits an offense if | ||
the person intentionally or knowingly represents [ |
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[ |
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trained or equipped to help a person with a disability. An offense | ||
under this subsection [ |
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[ |
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(1) a fine of not more than $1,000 [ |
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(2) 30 hours of community service to be performed for a | ||
governmental entity or nonprofit organization that primarily | ||
serves persons with visual impairments or other disabilities, or | ||
for another entity or organization at the discretion of the court, | ||
to be completed in not more than one year. | ||
(b) A person who habitually abuses or neglects to feed or | ||
otherwise neglects to properly care for the person's [ |
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assistance animal or service animal is subject to seizure of the | ||
animal under Subchapter B, Chapter 821, Health and Safety Code. | ||
SECTION 2. Section 121.006(a), Human Resources Code, as | ||
amended by this Act, applies only to an offense committed on or | ||
after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before | ||
the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in effect when | ||
the offense was committed, and the former law is continued in effect | ||
for that purpose. For purposes of this section, an offense was | ||
committed before the effective date of this Act if any element of | ||
the offense occurred before that date. | ||
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |