I'm surprised I haven't heard anyone talk about this yet. It just passed in the House. My interpretation of this bill would mean pursuing, baying and catching in the woods or in a pen could be considered animal cruelty. Perhaps I don't have the correct background, but I thought feral hogs fell into this nonlivestock animal definition, unless that only applies to pets like dogs and cats.
http://www.legis.state.tx.us/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=81R&Bill=HB1472A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT relating to the offense of cruelty to nonlivestock animals.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 42.092(a), Penal Code, is amended by adding Subdivision (9) to read as follows:
(9) "Harass" means to disturb, worry, molest, harry, torment, or chase.
SECTION 2. Section 42.092(e), Penal Code, is amended to read as follows:
(e) It is a defense to prosecution under Subsection (b)(2) or (6) that:
(1) the animal was discovered on the person's property
in the act of or after harassing, injuring, or killing the person's
livestock animals or damaging the person's crops and that the
person killed or injured the animal at the time of this discovery;
or
(2) the person killed or injured the animal within the
scope of the person's employment as a public servant or in
furtherance of activities or operations associated with
electricity transmission or distribution, electricity generation
or operations associated with the generation of electricity, or
natural gas delivery.
SECTION 3. The change in law made by this Act applies onlyto an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is covered 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2009.
