HBA-DMH H.B. 2400 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2400
By: Geren
Civil Practices
6/12/2001
Enrolled



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Prior to the 77th Legislature, any person hosting or participating in a
horse show or horse exhibition was protected from damages arising from the
activity with certain exceptions.  The purpose of the law was to expressly
recognize that equine activity sponsors and participants understood and
accepted the inherent dangers of handling and working with equine animals.
However, the law did not protect participants and sponsors of nonprofit or
countywide livestock shows.  For example, a county or nonprofit
organization was protected from certain liability under the law if it
hosted an equine event, but not if the organization hosted a livestock show
that included other types of animals.  House Bill 2400 establishes
liability provisions for livestock shows. 

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 2400 amends the Civil Practice and Remedies Code to establish
provisions for liability for livestock shows equivalent to existing
provisions established for liability for equine activities.  The bill
requires a livestock show sponsor to post and maintain a sign that contains
a prescribed warning if the livestock show sponsor manages or controls a
stable, barn, corral, or arena at which the livestock show sponsor conducts
a livestock show. The bill provides that the livestock show sponsor must
post the sign in a clearly visible location near the stable, barn, corral,
or arena and specifies the contents for the warning sign.  The bill
requires the livestock show sponsor to include the prescribed warning in
every written contact that the sponsor enters into with a livestock show
participant and provides that the warning must be clearly readable. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.