By: Neave H.B. No. 2992       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to assistance animals used by persons with disabilities   and to the prosecution of the offense of misrepresenting an animal   as an assistance animal.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Section 121.002(1), Human Resources Code, is   amended to read as follows:                (1)  "Assistance animal" and "service animal" mean a   canine that is specially trained or equipped to do work or perform   tasks to help a person with a disability and that is used by a person   with a disability.          SECTION 2.  Section 121.006, Human Resources Code, is   amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsection (a-1) to   read as follows:          (a)  A person commits an offense if the person fits an [who   uses a service] animal with a harness, collar, vest, sign, tag, or   leash of the type commonly used by persons with disabilities who use   trained animals so that the person can gain access, permission, or   benefits provided to persons with disabilities who use assistance   animals by representing[, in order to represent] that the [his or   her] animal is a specially trained service animal or assistance   animal when training has not in fact been provided or is not being   provided   .          (a-1)  An offense under Subsection (a)[,] is [guilty of] a   misdemeanor punishable [and on conviction shall be punished] by:                (1)  a fine of not more than $300; and                (2)  30 hours of community service to be performed for a   governmental entity or nonprofit organization that primarily   serves persons with visual impairments or other disabilities, or   for another entity or organization at the discretion of the court,   to be completed in not more than one year.          SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Section   121.006, Human Resources Code, apply 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 when 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, 2017.