AFA
URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT FOR TEXES

HB 2328 - RE: EXOTICS - 4-24-03

The American Federation of Aviculture is alerting all owners and breeders of exotic birds about pending legislation in Texas. HB 2328 has been written as 
an attempt to manage outbreaks such as END and other diseases and would 
regulate all poultry and exotic birds in Texas. This bill has been through a 
public hearing and is ready for passage by the Texas House and Senate. Texas 
poultry associations are mounting a strong campaign in support. Immediate 
response is needed to both your state senators and representative. Exotic 
birds are not managed like poultry. They are not free-ranging but always 
securely contained. Exotic birds are now regulated under the Animal Welfare 
Act (AWA), as amended by the Helms Amendment to the Farm Bill, on Feb. 28, 
2002. Regulations will be implemented by the USDA, APHIS, Animal Care 
Division and require routine permits and inspections.

Following are quotes from the text of HB 2328:

Sec.161.0411. DOMESTIC AND EXOTIC FOWL REGISTRATION.

(a) A seller, distributor, or transporter of live domestic or exotic fowl in 
this state shall register with the commission under this section.

(b) A person may apply for a certificate of registration or a renewal of a 
certificate of registration under this section by submitting an application 
and an annual fee prescribed by the commission. A person must complete an 
application for a certificate of registration that includes a list of each 
location at which the person conducts the sale, distribution, or 
transportation of domestic or exotic fowl.

(c) The commission shall adopt rules to administer this section, including 
rules relating to the testing, identification, transportation, inspection, 
sanitation, and disinfection of domestic and exotic fowl.

(d) The commission shall prescribe and collect an annual fee for registration as a seller, distributor, or transporter of domestic and exotic fowl. 

There are other sections which describe failure to follow the regulations as 
an offense that is a Class C misdemeanor, and provides for a start date of 
January 1, 2004 for the Texas Animal Health Commission to adopt rules to 
administer this section of the Agriculture Code. The bill's authors are 
McReynolds. Homer, Hughes and Hardcastle.

For complete text and information on this bill visit: http://www.capitol.state.tx.us/tlo/legislation/bill_status.htm 

For information on your district representative's address and phone numbers, 
visit: http://www.capital.state.tx.us/tlo/house/house.htm (Then click on Members; Then click on List of Capitol and District Office Addresses.)

For information on your district senator's address and phone numbers, visit:
http://www.capital.state.tx.us/tlo/senate/senate.htm (Then click on Members; Then click on List of Capitol and District Office Addresses)

** For further Info you can also contact AFA Legislative VP Laura Desborough at her email address: LauraDesborough@aol.com or phone (904) 291-9043.