SB 2969

Parker Trespass Bill Raises Zoo Enclosure Entry To A Felony

Did not pass

Verdict: Smells

SmellsInitial review

Sen. Tan ParkerRSenate 12

Why it's charged

Already a crime

THE TEXT

“A person commits an offense if the person enters an”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

Based on general knowledge of Texas law, not the bill text, entering property without consent can already be charged as criminal trespass under the Penal Code. This bill mainly raises the penalty for one setting, a zoo-type enclosure, to a felony.

Already a crime

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the creation of the criminal offense of trespass in a facility housing an animal and to restitution for property damage resulting from that trespass.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Entering without consent can already be criminal trespass. Here it’s a state jail felony.

The bill makes it a state jail felony to knowingly enter, without permission, a cage or enclosure at a zoo or similar animal facility run for public visitation, conservation, education, or science. The penalty rises to a third-degree felony if the person harassed the animal and the animal was hurt or killed, and a person who went in to help another person or an animal has a defense. Anyone convicted must pay the facility back for any damage or loss, including the injury or death of the animal.

Labels

Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Tan Parker (R) in the Senate. Lead sponsor Barbara Gervin-Hawkins (D) in the House. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on May 19, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Criminal Jurisprudence committee 9-0, no floor vote.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-SB2969 · 2025-03-14

SOLD BY

Sen. Tan ParkerRSenate 12

+ 1 coauthor

ITEM

relating to the creation of the criminal offense of trespass in a facility housing an animal and to restitution for property damage resulting from that trespass.

WHAT IT DOES

Entering without consent can already be criminal trespass. Here it’s a state jail felony.

CHARGES

[x] ALREADY A CRIMEanalysis confidence 40%

THE TEXT

“A person commits an offense if the person enters an”…

Bill text, introduced version (I)

TOTAL

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · May 9, 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 14, 2025Received by the Secretary of the Senate
Mar 14, 2025Filed
Apr 7, 2025Read first time
Apr 7, 2025Referred to Criminal Justice
May 13, 2025Scheduled for public hearing on . . .
May 13, 2025Considered in public hearing
May 13, 2025Testimony taken in committee
May 13, 2025Vote taken in committee
May 14, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendments
May 14, 2025Committee report printed and distributed
May 16, 2025Placed on intent calendar
May 19, 2025Co-author authorized
May 19, 2025Rules suspended-Regular order of business
May 19, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 19, 2025Read 2nd time & passed to engrossment
May 19, 2025Vote recorded in Journal
May 19, 2025Three day rule suspended
May 19, 2025Record vote
May 19, 2025Read 3rd time
May 19, 2025Passed
May 19, 2025Record vote
May 19, 2025Reported engrossed
May 20, 2025Received from the Senate
May 21, 2025Read first time
May 21, 2025Referred to Criminal Jurisprudence
May 22, 2025Considered in formal meeting
May 22, 2025Reported favorably w/o amendment(s)
May 22, 2025Comte report filed with Committee Coordinator
May 22, 2025Committee report distributed
May 23, 2025Committee report sent to Calendars
May 24, 2025Considered in Calendars
May 26, 2025Placed on General State Calendar

FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

SIGNED FOR BY

Senate · 30 yea · 1 nay

Sources

Senate: Final passage · May 19, 2025. Journal. Published stock for this vote. Snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

All floor motions and other positions below.

Smells

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Tan Parker

Donors

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC$40K Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$25K The Peck Family Trust$25K

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 28, 2024 to Jun 29, 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.

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC$40,000.00

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

Also funds 10 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 17, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 17, 2026 to Jun 25, 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: 101060289.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee$25,250.00

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$25,250.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $250.00
Total: $25,250.00

fundraiser $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2025. 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: 100986801, 101009904, 101031351.

The Peck Family Trust$25,000.00

The Peck Family Trust

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100986801.

Money

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

Texas Stock Exchange | TXSE Group PAC

$40,000.00

Cash: $40,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $40,000.00

Also funds 10 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 17, 2026 to Oct 16, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Feb 17, 2026 to Jun 25, 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: 101060289.

Texas REALTORS Political Action Committee

$25,250.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $250.00
Total: $25,250.00

fundraiser $250.00

Also funds 140 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 2, 2024 to Oct 24, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team

Sources

Derived itemized flow · Dec 4, 2024 to Oct 9, 2025. 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: 100986801, 101009904, 101031351.

The Peck Family Trust

$25,000.00

Cash: $25,000.00
Paid by others: $0.00
Total: $25,000.00

Also funds 1 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Dec 14, 2024 to Sep 18, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

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

Sources

Derived itemized flow · on Dec 14, 2024. 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: 100986801.

Votes3

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: 30
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

CookNay

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Sources

The bill was read third time and was passed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1. (Same as previous roll call)

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: 30
Nay: 1
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

CookNay

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Sources

Senator Parker moved that Senate Rule 7.18 and the Constitutional Rule requiring bills to be read on three several days be suspended and that SB 2969 be placed on its third reading and final passage. The motion prevailed by the following vote: Yeas 30, Nays 1.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 1 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Senate May 19, 2025

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Names

CookNay

Named positions matched to lawmakers. See the journal for unmatched names.

Senate journal

Names were not printed for yea. Only the named positions are included in member records.

Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.

Sources

Senator Parker moved to suspend the regular order of business to take up for consideration SB 2969 at this time on its second reading: SB 2969, Relating to the creation of the criminal offense of trespass in a facility housing an animal and to restitution for property damage resulting from that trespass. The motion prevailed. Senator Cook asked to be recorded as voting "Nay" on suspension of the regular order of business. The bill was read second time and was passed to engrossment by a viva voce vote.

Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.

Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed

Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.

Witnesses12

For: 12
Against: 0
On: 0

Names

For

Combined Law Enforcement Associations of Texas (CLEAT)1 registration
Dallas Police Association1 registration
Dallas Zoo1 registration
Self2 registrations
Self; Houston Police Officers’ Union1 registration
Self; San Antonio Zoo1 registration
Texas Disposal Systems1 registration
Texas Farm Bureau1 registration
Texas Municipal Police Association (TMPA)1 registration
Texas Travel Alliance2 registrations

Sources

12 parsed registrations across the loaded witness lists.

Derived stock of witness registrations. Repeated appearances count separately. Organizations and self-representation appear as printed.

Senate witness list. Source snapshot 2026-10-20, Central time.

Fiscal

No significant fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.

LBB estimate · fiscal note version I · source

Sources

Fiscal note · version I · May 9, 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 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas Senate · Filed Mar 14, 2025

05/26/2025 H Placed on General State Calendar

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced · Senate Committee Report · Engrossed · House Committee Report

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

Coauthors

Borris MilesDSenate 13

Companion

HB 1720 by Gervin-Hawkins (identical)

Subjects

Animals

Courts--Civil Procedure

Crimes--Against Property

TRESPASS

Text

The text as introduced · 393 words

89R4338 JDK-F

By: Parker
S.B. No. 2969

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the creation of the criminal offense of trespass in a

facility housing an animal and to restitution for property damage

resulting from that trespass.

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

SECTION 1. Chapter 30, Penal Code, is amended by adding

Section 30.08 to read as follows:

Sec. 30.08. TRESPASS IN FACILITY HOUSING AN ANIMAL. (a) In

this section, "harass" means to engage in any act that:

(1) demonstrates a disregard for the well-being of an

animal; or

(2) disrupts the normal behavior patterns of an

animal, including disrupting the animal's feeding, watering,

resting, or breeding.

(b) A person commits an offense if the person enters an

indoor or outdoor facility housing an animal that is operated for

the purpose of public visitation, conservation, education, or

science, including a zoo, and the person:

(1) enters a cage, enclosure, or other area where an

animal is exhibited or housed; and

(2) knows the person has no legal authority, license,

or permission to enter.

(c) An offense under this section is a state jail felony,

except that the offense is a felony of the third degree if it is

shown on the trial of the offense that:

(1) the actor harassed the animal; and

(2) the animal suffered injury or death.

(d) It is a defense to prosecution under this section that

the person entered the cage, enclosure, or other area to aid another

person or an animal located in the cage, enclosure, or other area.

(e) It is not a defense to prosecution under this section

that:

(1) entry to the cage, enclosure, or other area where

the animal was exhibited or housed was not sufficiently guarded,

locked, or made otherwise inaccessible; or

(2) injury to the animal was necessary to protect the

person from injury or death.

SECTION 2. Article 42.037, Code of Criminal Procedure, is

amended by adding Subsection (y) to read as follows:

(y) If a defendant is convicted of an offense under Section

30.08, Penal Code, the court shall order the defendant to make

restitution to the facility for the cost of any damage, loss, or

destruction as a result of the offense, including the injury or

death of the animal.

SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.