The next meeting of Texas’ Licensed Breeders Advisory Committee is scheduled for Friday, September 1, 2023, at 10AM. The meeting will be held via video conference and will be broadcast live on the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s YouTube channel. This meeting is a key part of the rulemaking process in response to the recent passage of SB 876, which expanded the state’s regulatory authority over dog breeders to those who maintain five or more intact females.
The meeting agenda is now available on TDLR’S website. This is the first meeting of the Committee in nearly three years.
How to Get Involved:
AKC encourages Texas breeders to submit public comments and watch the meeting. In your public comments, please request that the Committee adopt new regulations so that small-scale breeders can comply with the new law. Additionally, please share your experience and expertise as a breeder with the Committee.
Information on Submitting Public Comments:
The Licensed Breeders Advisory Committee is accepting public comment for the Friday, September 1, 2023, meeting.
Written comments must be submitted to Board.Comments@tdlr.texas.gov by no later than 12:00 p.m., Thursday, August 31, 2023. Comments will be provided to the Committee members for their review prior to the public meeting but will not be read aloud during the meeting.
If you wish to address the Committee during the public meeting via video conferencing, please provide your contact information to Board.Comments@tdlr.texas.gov by 12:00 p.m., Thursday, August 31, 2023. You will receive an email with a link to join the meeting. You will be given no more than three minutes to speak.
Email request for Public Comment must include:
- Agenda Item or Specific Topic
- Name
- Telephone number
- Please indicate whom you are representing.
Background
In June, Governor Abbott signed Senate Bill 876 to expand the Licensed Breeders Program to regulate those that are engaged in the business of breeding five or more intact females. It remains unclear how this law will be interpreted by TDLR. AKC recently attended a TDLR Commission meeting and requested an opportunity to work with TDLR and the Licensed Breeder Advisory Committee to clarify who the law applies to and to update regulations to ensure small-scale breeders can comply with the law. For more information on SB 876, please view our past alerts.
The new law is set to go into effect on September 1, 2023; but those who breed between five and 11 intact females will have until January 1, 2024, to comply.
AKC Government Relations continues to monitor all issues impacting dog owners in Texas. For questions, more information, or if you plan to submit public comments at the meeting, contact AKC GR at doglaw@akc.org.