HB 285

relating to the prosecution of the offense of cruelty to
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1.  Section 42.092, Penal Code, is amended by
amending Subsection (b) and adding Subsection (d-1) to read as
(b)  A person commits an offense if the person intentionally,
knowingly, [or] recklessly, or with criminal negligence:
(1)  tortures an animal or in a cruel manner kills or
causes serious bodily injury to an animal;
(2)  without the owner's effective consent, kills,
administers poison to, or causes serious bodily injury to an
(3)  fails unreasonably to provide necessary food,
water, care, or shelter for an animal in the person's custody;
(4)  abandons unreasonably an animal in the person's
(5)  transports or confines an animal in a cruel
(6)  without the owner's effective consent, causes
(7)  causes one animal to fight with another animal, if
(8)  uses a live animal as a lure in dog race training
or in dog coursing on a racetrack; or
(9)  seriously overworks an animal.
(d-1)  It is a defense to prosecution for alleged criminal
negligence that the conduct occurred during the actual discharge of
the actor's duties while employed as a veterinarian licensed under
Chapter 801, Occupations Code, or as a person assisting the
SECTION 2.  The change in law made by this Act applies only
to an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act.
An offense committed before the effective date of this Act is
governed by the law in effect on the date 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
SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.