Bill > HB276

This bill amends the Texas Agricultural Code to expand the state's animal health regulations to explicitly include parasitic insects alongside communicable diseases. The bill gives the Texas Animal Health Commission broader authority to control, prevent, and respond to parasitic insect infestations affecting livestock, domestic animals, and domestic fowl. Key provisions include requiring county commissioners to assist in protecting animals from parasitic insects, mandating reporting of parasitic insect infestations, allowing the commission to establish quarantines and regulate animal movement in response to parasitic insect outbreaks, and creating mechanisms for compensating animal owners affected by such infestations. The bill also provides for potential criminal penalties for individuals who fail to comply with parasitic insect control regulations, such as not reporting infestations or obstructing inspections. These changes aim to enhance the state's ability to quickly identify, contain, and eradicate parasitic insect threats to animal populations, with provisions for collaboration between state agencies and emergency management protocols. The bill will take effect immediately if it receives a two-thirds vote in the Texas legislature, otherwise it will take effect on September 1, 2025.

https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=891&Bill=HB276