HBA-MSH H.B. 1511 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1511
By: Williams
County Affairs
2/19/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, the commissioners court of a county is not authorized to
prohibit or regulate the keeping of a wild animal by an animal exhibitor
licensed under the federal Animal Welfare Act.  "Wild animal" means a lion
tiger, other large cats, hyena, bear, lesser panda, binturong, wolf, ape,
elephant, and rhinoceros.  House Bill 1511 authorizes the commissioners
court of a county to prohibit or regulate the keeping of a wild animal by a
licensed animal exhibitor in that county 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House bill 1511 amends the Local Government Code to remove the provision
that exempts an exhibitor of wild animals who is licensed under the federal
Animal Welfare Act from the authority of the commissioners court of a
county to prohibit or regulate the keeping of a wild animal. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act
takes effect September 1, 2001.