Big news in TEXAS this week!

[Porkchoptx]

Which office did you call?

 

[ChickenManny]

Which office did you call?

I called the Austin Office. I may try the Plano Office.

 

[GilligansGirls]

Thank you for this.
But you have got to be kidding me? Is that what they mean by "municipalities"? Using kind of an ambiguous word? So if you are in a county or HOA it does not apply?

A municipality is usually a single urban administrative division having corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and state laws to which it is subordinate. It is to be distinguished from the county, which may encompass rural territory or numerous small communities such as towns, villages and hamlets.

This does not look good
We need to also contact Van Taylor's office again since he wrote this thing.

 

[Kiki]

I got this email response today:

hold on..it's not posting the whole response.

 

[Kiki]

Dear Texan:


I would like to thank you for taking the time to write to me about issues impacting Texas. I always appreciate hearing from great citizens like you who care about the future of our great state of Texas.
This legislative session, I presented the legislature a strong conservative agenda that affirmed my commitment to property tax reform, women's privacy, life, the second amendment, border security, religious liberty and a lean and efficient government. The Texas Senate was able to deliver on many of those promises to Texans. Under my leadership and through the hard work of every senator twenty of the 30 priorities I announced in January are on track to become law.
As you are aware, Governor Greg Abbott has set a special session agenda which solidly reflects the priorities of the people of Texas. The people of Texas have a right to expect that we will finish the job on these critical issues and I am happy to join with the governor in doing the work they elected us to do.
I invite you to visit my official website, at https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/ to view all of my legislative priorities.
Again, thank you for sharing your comments with me. I encourage you to continue making your voice heard to the officials who represent you, and stay involved in the issues affecting our great state of Texas.


Sincerely,

 

[Kiki]

https://www.ltgov.state.tx.us/2017-priorities/

 

[Kiki]

fwiw
www.hoaleader.com is free to join for 30 days.
I've read quite a few interesting things on that site about HOAs.

 

[Kiki]

https://www.hoaleader.com/public/Eroding-HOA-Rules-Agency-Promises-Help-Buyers-Beat-Pet-Bans.cfm
True Story: Chickens as Comfort Animals

This is an interesting idea, notes Ben Solomon, an attorney and founder of the Association Law Group in Miami, who advises more than 500 associations and represents developers through his second law firm, Solomon & Furshman LLP.

"The comfort pet issue is a very big issue down here," he notes. "There's no question pets are like family and you need to make sure you have your pet when you move, so you need to know which buildings you can go to. This sounds like a service that could be helpful for some. But a good lawyer, if asked, could easily look at an association's declarationand tell you what the rules or restrictions are without having to use a third party like this."

Gregory S. Cagle, a partner at Savrick Schumann Johnson McGarr Kaminski & Shirley in Austin, Texas, and author of Texas Homeowners Association Law, also says the idea is interesting. "I've certainly seen something of a trend of people calling animals service animals," he says. "The Fair Housing Act requires housing providers to make reasonable modifications when it comes to handicaps, and that includes for a service animal."

The challenge Cagle has had has been identifying what qualifies as a service animal. "We're not talking dogs," he says. "It's pretty normal that people will say a dog is a service animal for a blind resident. That would clearly be an exception to rules that prohibit dogs.

"But I had a case with a subdivision with larger lots that had a restriction against pigs and chickens," recalls Cagle. "A woman who had a chicken coop and said her chickens were service animals that had been prescribed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder. She produced a letter from a licensed therapist—although it was a marriage therapist—saying these were prescribed to help her deal with stress."

Cagle was skeptical but surprised by what his research turned up. "I found one article that talked about chickens housed at assisted-living facilities," he notes. "There's some therapeutic benefit from a chicken pecking on the ground or from just petting the chicken. It's said to be helping some patients who had Alzheimer's or other issues. So it's difficult to say it's impossible for you to have therapeutic or service chickens."

That leads to Cagle's concern about a company like PFRNYC. "When I read about a new company that's going to help people with comfort animals, under that sort of umbrella, it really opens the door as to what pets—whether it's chickens, dogs, cats, or guinea pigs—owners can have if you start claiming they're there to treat some illness."

 

[Kiki]

Here is the reply I rec'd today from an email sent yesterday to Van Taylor:

Thank you for taking the time to contact me and share your thoughts on pending legislation. Democracy works best with active participation from the people, and your willingness to communicate with me helps me to better address the issues important to you.


I always appreciate the opportunity to hear from constituents and provide updates or answers to your questions. During this legislative session I have personally replied to over 16,000 constituent inquiries. However, given the short time remaining in the current legislative session, time constraints may prohibit my ability to respond to your correspondence before the regular session ends on May 29, 2017. While you might not receive a response in time for the conclusion of session, please know that your opinion matters and I will continue to review each letter, email, and phone message every day.


It is an honor to serve you in the Texas Senate. I hope you continue to reach out to me with your thoughts, ideas and concerns. Together, we can ensure that our area remains one of the very best places to live, work, and raise a family.



Semper Fidelis,



Van Taylor

 

[GilligansGirls]

Well why am I not suprised that this is not on the Lt Gov's priorities?
I don't want to but we are looking for some place to move to.

Edit:
I just relooked at the bill and the way it is written is the first article says a "political subdivision". What the heck is that? So I looked it up and amongst a long list of thinks this is the top listed
(4) “Political subdivision” means:

(A) a county;

So, if a HOA is in the county it should still fall under these regulations (?)