Bill Text: TX SB121 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Relating to the adoption of cats and dogs previously used for research.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-23 - Left pending in committee [SB121 Detail]
Download: Texas-2019-SB121-Introduced.html
| 86R184 KKR-D | ||
| By: West | S.B. No. 121 | |
|
|
||
|
|
||
| relating to the adoption of cats and dogs previously used for | ||
| research. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Title 10, Health and Safety Code, is amended by | ||
| adding Chapter 830 to read as follows: | ||
| CHAPTER 830. ADOPTION OF CERTAIN RETIRED RESEARCH ANIMALS | ||
| Sec. 830.001. DEFINITIONS. In this chapter: | ||
| (1) "Animal rescue organization" means a nonprofit | ||
| charitable organization established primarily to rescue animals | ||
| and find adoptive homes for the animals. | ||
| (2) "Animal shelter" means a facility operated by a | ||
| nonprofit charitable organization established primarily to shelter | ||
| and care for stray, homeless, abandoned, or unwanted animals and | ||
| find adoptive homes for those animals. | ||
| (3) "Executive commissioner" means the executive | ||
| commissioner of the Health and Human Services Commission. | ||
| (4) "Research facility" means a facility as defined by | ||
| Section 2(e), Animal Welfare Act (7 U.S.C. Section 2132), that is | ||
| licensed by or registered with the United States Department of | ||
| Agriculture under that Act to conduct experiments on dogs or cats | ||
| for education, research, science, or testing purposes. | ||
| (5) "Retired animal" means a cat or dog previously | ||
| used by a research facility in experiments conducted for education, | ||
| research, science, or testing purposes that is no longer needed for | ||
| those purposes. | ||
| Sec. 830.002. LIMITATION. This chapter does not apply to a | ||
| retired animal with a substantial medical condition that prevents | ||
| the animal from successfully integrating into an adoptive home. | ||
| Sec. 830.003. ADOPTION OF RETIRED ANIMALS. (a) A research | ||
| facility, or its authorized employee or an authorized student of an | ||
| institution of higher education associated with the facility, on | ||
| retirement of a retired animal shall offer the animal for adoption: | ||
| (1) through an animal rescue organization or animal | ||
| shelter; or | ||
| (2) by an individual through an arrangement between | ||
| the facility and individual. | ||
| (b) A research facility may not offer any retired animal to | ||
| an animal rescue organization or animal shelter unless the facility | ||
| has a written agreement with the organization or shelter addressing | ||
| the transfer of the facility's retired animals to the organization | ||
| or shelter. | ||
| Sec. 830.004. IMMUNITY FROM CIVIL LIABILITY. A research | ||
| facility that in good faith and in compliance with this chapter and | ||
| rules adopted under this chapter provides a research animal to an | ||
| animal rescue organization, animal shelter, or individual is immune | ||
| from civil liability with respect to a claim that is based on: | ||
| (1) the facility's transfer of a retired animal to the | ||
| organization, shelter, or individual under this chapter; or | ||
| (2) the adoption of a retired animal by an individual | ||
| through the organization or shelter. | ||
| Sec. 830.005. RULES. The executive commissioner may adopt | ||
| rules necessary to implement this chapter. | ||
| SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. | ||
