bill to let Texans eat roadkill

The text as introduced · 386 words

90R84 MP-D

By: Leo Wilson
H.B. No. 486

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the collection for human consumption of certain

wildlife killed in an unintentional motor vehicle collision.

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

SECTION 1. Section 62.0031(b), Parks and Wildlife Code, is

amended to read as follows:

(b) This section does not apply to:

(1) the trapping of a raptor for educational or

sporting purposes as provided by Chapter 49; [ or ]

(2) an employee of the department taking wildlife as

provided by Section 12.013(c) ; or

(3) a person collecting a wild animal or bird killed in

an unintentional motor vehicle collision as provided by Section

62.0032 .

SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 62, Parks and Wildlife

Code, is amended by adding Section 62.0032 to read as follows:

Sec. 62.0032. CERTAIN WILDLIFE KILLED IN UNINTENTIONAL

MOTOR VEHICLE COLLISION. (a) In this section, "edible condition"

means fit for human consumption. The term does not include a wild

animal or wild bird that is decayed or rotting or obviously infected

or diseased.

(b) A person may collect for the purpose of human

consumption a wild animal or wild bird that was killed in an

unintentional motor vehicle collision on a public road or

right-of-way if:

(1) the animal or bird is in edible condition; and

(2) the person collects the animal or bird in

accordance with applicable commission rules adopted under

Subsection (c).

(c) The commission by rule may:

(1) specify additional procedures and requirements

for the collection of a wild animal or wild bird under this section;

and

(2) limit the species or class of wild animals or wild

birds that may be collected under this section.

SECTION 3. Section 62.0031, Parks and Wildlife Code, as

amended 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 before that date.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2027.