89th Texas Legislature · 3 bills tracked
A Texas Movement · Est. 2026

The work is the bills.

Every piece of humane legislation the coalition is writing, testifying on, and moving through the Texas Capitol — updated after every committee hearing and every floor vote.

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89th Texas Legislature · Live snapshot

Updated this session

3
Bills tracked
89th
Texas Lege
4
Stages tracked
254
Counties

Active campaigns.

The legislation the coalition is supporting and the campaigns it is running this session.

SB 2426 / HB 1795
89th Session
Dogfighting and Cockfighting Bill
Protecting Communities from Illegal Enterprises & Rural Strain. Sophisticated criminal groups are increasingly utilizing Texas's vast rural landscapes to host illegal dogfights and cockfights. These are not isolated incidents of cruelty; they are organized criminal hubs that bypass state biosecurity protocols, host illicit gambling, and bring narcotics into quiet, under-resourced communities. This bill strengthens the Texas Penal Code to give rural law enforcement the tools they need to protect their communities. Authors: Senator Hall, Representatives Anchia & Shofner.
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89th Session
89th Session
Texas-First Pet Security Act
Protecting Texas Families and Market Integrity. Texas retail pet stores utilize high-volume, out-of-state supply chains to flood the Texas market with defective inventory. These puppies and kittens bypass biosecurity standards, importing zoonotic diseases that threaten both public health and the integrity of the local pet industry. Further, Texan families are trapped in predatory, high-interest lending schemes—often exceeding 100% APR—for a 'product' that is biologically compromised from the point of sale. Authors: Senators Hagenbuch, Kolkhorst, Parker.
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Summer 2026
Campaign
Supporting Animal Services
Campaign details coming soon.
Read more
[ 89th Session · SB 2426 / HB 1795 ]

Dogfighting and Cockfighting Bill

Protecting Communities from Illegal Enterprises & Rural Strain.

The Crisis

Narcotics & Gambling Link

Animal fighting rings serve as "pop-up" headquarters for illegal gambling and drug distribution, funneling untaxed revenue into organized crime syndicates.

Agricultural Biosecurity Risk

The unregulated transport of birds and dogs across state and county lines for "derbies" is a primary vector for Avian Flu (H5N1) and Newcastle Disease, posing a direct threat to the Texas poultry and livestock industries.

Strain on Local Sheriffs

Local Sheriffs offices across the state lack the statutory "teeth" to dismantle these rings effectively, leading to a revolving door of low-level offenses while the criminal organizers profit.

The Texas-First Solution

Anti-Racketeering Enhancements

Reclassifies organized animal fighting as a predicate offense for racketeering, allowing prosecutors to seize criminal assets and target "kingpin" organizers.

Biosecurity Protections

Implements strict penalties for the transport of animals for fighting purposes, protecting the health and economic stability of legitimate Texas agriculture.

Community Safety

This bill enhances community safety as it will only impact illegal businesses that run dogfighting and cockfighting operations, and the spectators that keep them in business.

February 2026 · Multi-Agency Raid in Northeast Texas

Through the issue of 27 simultaneous search warrants on animal fighting properties, enforcement uncovered not only 200+ victims but also significant caches of narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine, alongside stolen firearms—linking these 'rural events' directly to the transnational supply chains of the Cartels.

Supported by

District Attorneys · Local Sheriff Departments · Lone Star Humane Association · Local Animal Enforcement

89th Session Authors

Senator Hall, Representatives Anchia & Shofner

[ 89th Session · Pet Store Bill ]

Texas-First Pet Security Act

Protecting Texas Families and Market Integrity.

The Crisis

Predatory Out-of-State Brokers

In 2025, an estimated 15,000 dogs and cats were imported into Texas retail stores, from out-of-state puppy mills. These outside entities "dumping defective products" into the Texas market.

Financial & Emotional Burden

Texans face "predatory sales," out-of-state broker sells a sick "lemon" pet, the final cost is borne by Texas city and county shelters (and therefore local taxpayers) when that animal is surrendered or abandoned.

Health Hazards

Animals are shipped hundreds of miles in cramped, unsanitary conditions. Many arrive with zoonotic diseases which can spread to humans.

The Conservative Solution

Sourcing Transparency

Prevents "predatory sales" where families are emotionally manipulated into purchasing sick animals without knowing they originated from high-risk, out-of-state "puppy mill" pipelines.

Closing Out-of-State Loopholes

Puppy mills outside of Texas are beyond state control. By reducing the number of sick animals sold to Texans, we lower the "hidden vet costs" for families and decrease the taxpayer burden on municipal shelters that are currently forced to house "pet store surrenders."

Championing Texas Small Business

The Act explicitly preserves the rights of Texans to purchase directly from responsible local breeders. By removing fraudulent out-of-state "brokers" from the retail market, we ensure that law-abiding Texas breeders are no longer undercut by low-quality, diseased "products" from out-of-state competitors.

96% of the TX pet industry has already moved away from this high-risk model

96% of the TX pet industry has already moved away from this high-risk model because it's bad for business and bad for the consumer. This act asks the State to step in and ensure the remaining 4% stop using Texas as a dumping ground for out-of-state 'lemon' pets.

Supported by

Gov't. Shelters · Chambers of Commerce · Lone Star Association · Local Enforcement

89th Session Authors

Senators: Hagenbuch, Kolkhorst, Parker

[ Summer 2026 · Campaign ]

Supporting Animal Services

Campaign details coming soon.

Supported by

89th Session Authors

The record.

Every bill the coalition has moved, passed, or kept fighting across prior sessions. Sessions prior to the 88th were before the coalition existed.

Recent wins · 88th Legislature

SB 287
Cruelty-felony expansion — covering interstate transport and aggravating circumstances. Signed · June 2025
HB 1104
Veterinary telemedicine licensing — passed as amended. Signed · May 2025
SCR 45
Interim committee on animal welfare policy established. Passed · May 2025

Still fighting for · Re-filed or redrafted

HB 1842
Tethering standards — died in committee 88th. Refiled as SB 942 this session. Died · Apr 2025
HB 2718
Breeder licensing — stripped in conference. Coalition drafting replacement for 90th. Gutted · May 2025
SB 1056
Shelter data transparency — never reached committee vote. Re-filed as HB 4415. Stalled · Apr 2025

How we pick the bills.

We don't back every humane bill in Texas. We back the ones where the coalition's work moves the needle — and we say no, publicly, to the rest. The criteria we run every prospective bill through:

[01]

Does it protect animal lives at scale?

Bills that apply to one facility, one species, or one municipality get routed to local partners. We work statewide.

[02]

Is the coalition the best author?

If another Texas org is already carrying a better draft, we testify in support. We don't duplicate work for the credit.

[03]

Can it pass this session?

We draft aspirationally but file realistically. Bills without a credible floor path get held for the next legislature.

[04]

Will shelters and vets implement it?

Every active bill passes a technical review with participating shelters and DVMs before we file. Statute that can't be implemented is statute that can't protect.

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Writing the law they can't write for themselves.

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