A new bill authored by State Rep. Holt in the Texas House seeks to improve legal measures against animal cruelty while protecting veterinary professionals during their duties, according to the Texas Legislature website.
The bill on County Government and Property Interests category, introduced as HB 285 during the 89(1) legislative session on Wednesday, Aug. 6, was formally listed with the short title: ’Relating to disclosures required to record an instrument conveying real property’.
The following is our breakdown, based on the actual bill text, and may include interpretation to clarify its provisions.
In essence, this bill amends the Texas Penal Code to enhance the prosecution of cruelty to nonlivestock animals. It specifies that a person commits an offense if they intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal negligence, engage in actions such as torturing or cruelly killing an animal, administering poison, failing to provide necessary care, or using animals in fights or as lures in dog races. Additionally, it provides a defense for veterinarians and their assistants who might otherwise be prosecuted for alleged negligence during the course of their professional duties. The changes apply to offenses committed on or after the bill’s effective date, Sept. 1, 2025, with previous offenses subject to the law in effect at the time they occurred.
Janis Holt, a member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, Public Safety & Veterans’ Affairs, proposed no other bills during the 89(1) legislative session. She is also a member of the House Committee on Pensions, Investments & Financial Services.
Bills in Texas go through a multi-step legislative process, including committee review, debates, and votes in both chambers before reaching a final decision. Each session, there are typically thousands of bills introduced, but only a portion successfully navigate the process to become law.
You can read more about the bills and other measures here.
| Bill Number | Date Introduced | Short Description |
|---|---|---|
| HB 5680 | 04/15/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Bayou Belle Municipal Management District No. 1; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| HB 5670 | 04/11/2025 | Relating to the creation of the Montgomery County Municipal Utility District No. 259; granting a limited power of eminent domain; providing authority to issue bonds; providing authority to impose assessments, fees, and taxes |
| HB 5645 | 03/14/2025 | Relating to the term of the chair of a county ethics commission |
| HB 4986 | 03/13/2025 | Relating to the issuance of certificates of obligation by local governments |
| HB 4388 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to judicial authority and duties |
| HB 4338 | 03/11/2025 | Relating to the use of safety management software for children on large social media platforms |
| HB 4241 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to the process for filling a vacancy on the board of trustees of an independent school district |
| HB 4150 | 03/10/2025 | Relating to authorizing the Texas Department of Transportation to enforce certain regulations adopted by a county commissioners court |
| HB 3626 | 03/03/2025 | Relating to justices of the peace, including certain state benefits and awards and membership on the First Responder Advisory Council |
| HB 3522 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to the labeling and sale of Texas honey |
| HB 3515 | 02/28/2025 | Relating to regulating parental reunification therapy in a suit affecting the parent-child relationship |
| HB 3313 | 02/25/2025 | Relating to font and type size requirements for certain political advertising disclosures |
| HB 3081 | 02/20/2025 | Relating to certain civil penalties under the Deceptive Trade Practices-Consumer Protection Act |
| HB 2897 | 02/18/2025 | Relating to a state of the judiciary message delivered by the presiding judge of the court of criminal appeals |
| HB 2734 | 02/12/2025 | Relating to public assistance program fraud; creating a criminal offense |
| HB 2602 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to the permitting and inspection of mobile food units |
| HB 2601 | 02/10/2025 | Relating to certain disqualifications from operating a commercial motor vehicle |
| HB 2519 | 02/06/2025 | Relating to disclosures required to record an instrument conveying real property |
| HB 2064 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to the discipline of judges by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, notice of certain reprimands, judicial compensation and related retirement benefits, and the reporting of certain judicial transparency information; authorizing an administrative penalty |
| HB 2062 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to regulations and policies for entering or using certain private spaces; authorizing a civil penalty |
| HB 2061 | 01/24/2025 | Relating to the designation of a portion of State Highway 242 in Montgomery County as the Lance Corporal Armando Hernandez Memorial Bridge |
