HEY TEXANS! (re: House Bill 2510)
received this in an email, thought I'd pass it along...
HB 2510 targets animal activists for special crimes and and imposes additional punishment. This bill is a follow up to HB 433, the animal and ecological terrorist bill that we all worked hard to defeat in committee. Please read the alert and make every effort to attend the hearing Thursday at 8 a.m. and sign a card in opposition to the bill.
Cile Holloway
Texas Humane Legislation Network
OMACTION ALERT
OPPOSE - HB 2510
This bill targets animal activists for special crimes and additional punishment!!!!
HEARING IN AUSTIN – APRIL 10 – 8 A.M.
We need fifty people at this hearing to defeat the bill!
Background
You worked hard to defeat HB 433 – the animal and ecological terrorist bill, and now another similar bill has to be defeated! HB 2510 (introduced by Rep. Rick Hardcastle) makes it a separate crime to interfere with animal activities or an animal facility. An ‘animal activity’ is defined as any activity involving the use of an animal including: food production, processing and preparation; clothing manufacturing and distribution; medical and other research; and agriculture. An ‘animal facility’ is defined as a vehicle, building, structure or other premises where an animal is housed, exhibited, offered for sale or used for scientific purposes such as research testing and experiments. The bill makes the following actions a criminal offense:
1. Preventing someone from participating in an activity involving animals by obstructing the use of an animal or by damaging or disposing of an animal.
2. Preventing an individual from using an animal facility by: damaging the facility or property in the facility; physically disrupting the operation of the facility; or unlawfully entering or remaining in the facility and engaging in any activity described in #1 above.
3. Unlawfully entering an animal facility with the intent to commit any of the acts described in #1 or #2 above.
An offense under #3 above is a Class A misdemeanor (up to one year in jail and a $4,000 fine) and an offense under #1 or #2 above is a state jail felony (a minimum of 180 days and a maximum of 2 years in jail and a $10,000 fine) if the amount of the loss is $500 or more.
Again, as with several other bills this session, this is yet another attempt to target animal activists for special crimes and additional punishment. All of the acts listed above are already punishable offenses under the Texas Penal Code and to create a new law to give special added protection to animal abusers and the facilities where they conduct their business is a blatant attempt to selectively target animal activists. This is a bad bill and must be defeated.
Some Unbelievable Backroom Politics
This bill was originally assigned to the House Committee on Criminal Jurisprudence where it properly should have been assigned since it involves an amendment to the Texas Penal Code. It is almost certain that that committee would have defeated this bill since it is clearly bias and does little or nothing to improve the Texas Penal Code. Then, without explanation and for no legitimate reason this bill was transferred to the Agriculture & Livestock Committee AND guess who the chairman of the Agriculture & Livestock Committee is - you got it, Rick Hardcastle, the sponsor of the bill. Like most other bills that in any way affect animals that go to this committee, the animals always lose. Thus, with Hardcastle being the chair and this committee being so prejudice against animals and animal groups we have virtually no chance of defeating this bill in this committee. Therefore, we are changing our strategy. Read further on for what you can do.
What You Can Do
The Agriculture & Livestock Committee is holding a public hearing on HB 2510 at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, April 10, 2003. We MUST have as many people as possible show up and sign a witness card opposing this bill. You do not have to testify and in fact it would be better that you did not because it would only be a waste of time. However, to defeat this bill later on we must have 50 to 100 people show up and sign a witness card opposing this bill. This will make a record that will accompany this bill throughout its journey through numerous other committees both in the House and in the Senate and those who later review this bill will see how much opposition it had. We realize that it is often difficult to get to Austin, but this is the only way that we will be able to kill this terrible bill since they pulled a ‘fast one’ on us and switched committees. We urge you to do everything possible to be at the committee hearing. If this bill becomes law it will be a major setback for ALL animal welfare groups in Texas.
Cile Holloway, President
Texas Humane Legislation Network
