The Senate Committee on Finance on Oct. 12 reported House Bill 135 favorably to the full Senate with a recommendation to pass. The bill seeks to clarify the tax code by defining exotic game animals within existing agriculture exemptions, ensuring that sales of exotic livestock are not subject to sales and use taxes.

Senator Flores laid out the bill and described it as providing legal clarity so that exotic-game operations—important in many rural Texas communities for land conservation and hunting tourism—receive consistent tax treatment. Jay Stewart, an attorney for the Exotic Wildlife Association, told the committee the bill resolves issues raised by the Comptroller’s Office about taxation of exotic livestock sales and argued the change would benefit ranchers, landowners and hunting-related businesses.

The committee voted to report the bill favorably to the full Senate by roll call; the clerk recorded 10 ayes and no nays. The chair then certified the bill for the local and uncontested calendar.

Supporters said the bill restores parity between exotic game sales and other agricultural exemptions and removes an uncertainty that had led to potential tax liability. No questions from committee members were recorded during public testimony; Shannon Brandt of the Comptroller’s Office was present as a resource witness.

The bill will next be considered by the full Senate on the floor calendar.