89R11951 AB-D     By: Hall S.B. No. 2648       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to the identification of breeder deer.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Sections 43.3561(b), (f), (g), (h), and (j),   Parks and Wildlife Code, are amended to read as follows:          (b)  Not later than March 31 of the year following the year in   which a breeder deer is born, the breeder deer must be identified   by[:                [(1)  attaching an identification tag to the pinna of   either ear of the breeder deer in a manner so that the face of the   tag is clearly visible on the anterior side of the ear; and                [(2)]  applying a single electronic identification   device in accordance with Subsection (f).          (f)  An electronic identification device applied under   Subsection (b) [(b)(2)] must be approved by the United States   Department of Agriculture and have an associated 15-digit animal   identification number that begins with 840. If the electronic   identification device is a button tag, the button tag must be   attached to the pinna of either ear of the breeder deer. If the   electronic identification device is an implant, the implant may not   be implanted in edible muscle. No person may remove an electronic   identification device except as necessary to comply with Subsection   (h).          (g)  The department shall create and maintain a database   containing electronic identification device numbers entered by   deer breeders. An electronic identification device [applied under   Subsection (b)(2)] is valid for purposes of Subsection (b) only if   the number associated with the device has been entered into the   department database and corresponds with the unique identifier   assigned to the breeder deer to or in which the device is attached   or implanted. In making a determination to destroy a deer under   Section 43.953, the department shall consider an electronic   identification device that meets the requirements of this section   as evidence of positive identification for a breeder deer that   cannot be identified by [either] the [identification tag or] tattoo   required by Subsection [(b) or] (j), provided that the deer breeder   entered the electronic identification device number into the   database before the identity of the breeder deer was in question as   determined by the department.          (h)  A deer breeder immediately shall replace an electronic    identification device [tag] that has been dislodged, damaged, or   removed by means other than human agency to the extent that the   device [identification tag] does not meet the requirements of   Subsections (b) and (f) [(c)] with another electronic    identification device [tag] that meets the requirements of   Subsections (b) and (f) [(c), except that a deer breeder may create   and attach a replacement identification tag. A replacement   identification tag must:                [(1)  be clearly visible;                [(2)  have legible text written with a tag pen   manufactured for use with the tag; and                [(3)  meet the requirements of Subsections (b)(1) and   (c), except for the requirement that the text be placed on the tag   by the manufacturer].          (j)  A person may not remove or knowingly permit the removal   of a breeder deer held in a facility by a permittee under this   subchapter unless the breeder deer has been identified by applying   a tattoo to the inner portion of either ear of the deer that:                (1)  is made with commercially available #300 or 5/16   inch tattoo letters and numbers;                (2)  is legible, permanent, and green or black; and                (3)  bears the same unique identifier associated with   the electronic identification device under Subsection (g) [printed   on the identification tag attached to the deer under Subsection   (c)].          SECTION 2.  The following provisions of the Parks and   Wildlife Code are repealed:                (1)  Sections 43.3561(a)(1) and (3); and                (2)  Sections 43.3561(c), (d), (e), and (i).          SECTION 3.  The changes in law made by this Act to Section   43.3561, Parks and Wildlife Code, apply only to a breeder deer born   on or after the effective date of this Act.  A breeder deer born   before the effective date of this Act is governed by the law in   effect on the date the breeder deer was born, and the former law is   continued in effect for that purpose.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.