HB 4543

bill lets landowners take down breeder deer release fences

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review

Initial review · graded Oct 19, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the removal of a fence surrounding a breeder deer release site.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

The fence comes down, if certain conditions are met.

The bill lets the owner of land that is or was a registered breeder deer release site take down the fence around that site if certain conditions are met. Those conditions are: five years since the last breeder deer release, notice to neighboring landowners, no more than a trace link to a facility with chronic wasting disease, and a state wildlife department certification that no released deer has been tied to a positive disease test. The department can certify only if testing over five years shows high confidence that the disease is absent or very rare, so qualifying owners could open their land starting September 1, 2025.

Labels

Labels: PENDING FOREVER. Heard by the House Culture, Recreation & Tourism committee on Apr 23, 2025 and left pending. Never voted out. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB4543 · 2025-03-12

SOLD BY

Rep. Angelia OrrRHouse 13

Rep. Ryan GuillenRHouse 31

Rep. Ken KingRHouse 88

ITEM

relating to the removal of a fence surrounding a breeder deer release site.

WHAT IT DOES

The fence comes down, if certain conditions are met.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

HISTORY

Mar 12, 2025Filed
Apr 3, 2025Read first time
Apr 3, 2025Referred to Culture, Recreation & Tourism
Apr 23, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
Apr 23, 2025Considered in public hearing
Apr 23, 2025Testimony taken/registration(s) recorded in committee
Apr 23, 2025Left pending in committee

FILED UNDER

Beats not yet reviewed.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Angelia Orr

Donors

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$434K Texas Sands PAC$154K Dustin Burrows Campaign$136K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 31, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$434,355.69

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$434,355.69

Cash: $185,000.00
Paid by others: $249,355.69
Total: $434,355.69

advertising $241,605.69polling $7,750.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101007596, 101032794, 101035908, 101040770, 101058009, 101071193.

Texas Sands PAC$154,250.00

Texas Sands PAC

$154,250.00

Cash: $137,000.00
Paid by others: $17,250.00
Total: $154,250.00

polling $17,250.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012337, 101032794, 101035908, 101071193.

Dustin Burrows Campaign$136,250.00

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$136,250.00

Cash: $119,000.00
Paid by others: $17,250.00
Total: $136,250.00

polling $17,250.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 13, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101032794, 101040770.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$434,355.69

Cash: $185,000.00
Paid by others: $249,355.69
Total: $434,355.69

advertising $241,605.69polling $7,750.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Jun 23, 2025 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101007596, 101032794, 101035908, 101040770, 101058009, 101071193.

Texas Sands PAC

$154,250.00

Cash: $137,000.00
Paid by others: $17,250.00
Total: $154,250.00

polling $17,250.00

Also funds 121 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 3, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 9, 2024 to Oct 22, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101012337, 101032794, 101035908, 101071193.

Dustin Burrows Campaign

$136,250.00

Cash: $119,000.00
Paid by others: $17,250.00
Total: $136,250.00

polling $17,250.00

Also funds 39 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Sep 13, 2025 to Sep 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Name match, not a verified identity: normalized filed name and state.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 13, 2025 to Jan 28, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101032794, 101040770.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · April 21, 2025

No first-year general revenue figure available here.

LBB published estimates · flow over the stated periods.

Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 19, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Mar 12, 2025

04/23/2025 H Left pending in committee

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Culture, Recreation & Tourism · Final status: Died in committee

Companion

SB 2031 by Kolkhorst (identical)

Subjects

Animals

Parks & Wildlife--General

Parks & Wildlife--Hunting & Fishing

Parks & Wildlife--Licenses

PARKS & WILDLIFE COMMISSION

PARKS & WILDLIFE DEPARTMENT

Text

The text as introduced · 350 words

89R8705 BEE-F

By: Orr
H.B. No. 4543

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the removal of a fence surrounding a breeder deer

release site.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 43.361, Parks and Wildlife Code, is

amended by adding Subsections (c) and (d) to read as follows:

(c) The owner of land that is or was registered as a release

site with the department may remove a fence described by Subsection

(a) if:

(1) at least five years have elapsed from the most

recent date breeder deer were released on the site;

(2) the owner notifies each adjacent landowner in the

form and manner prescribed by the department of the owner's

intention to remove the fence;

(3) the site has not more than a trace connection to a

facility on which chronic wasting disease has been detected; and

(4) the department certifies that no deer released on

the site has been epidemiologically associated with a positive

result of a test for chronic wasting disease.

(d) The department may not make the certification described

by Subsection (c)(4) unless the department has a confidence level

of at least:

(1) 95 percent that chronic wasting disease is not

present at greater than five percent prevalence over a five-year

testing period, if:

(A) the release site has no connection to a

facility on which chronic wasting disease has been detected;

(B) all deer released on the site display visible

identification allowing for individual identification at a

distance; and

(C) the site has complied with all applicable

commission rules and department registration and permitting

requirements and has not had any violations relating to a permit

described by Section 12.601; or

(2) 99 percent that chronic wasting disease is not

present at greater than one percent prevalence over a five-year

testing period, if the release site:

(A) has not more than a trace connection to a

facility on which chronic wasting disease has been detected; and

(B) otherwise does not satisfy the requirements

of Subdivisions (1)(A)-(C).

SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.