Tex. Health & Safety Code § 437.025 · Chapter 437. REGULATION OF FOOD SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS, RETAIL FOOD STORES, MOBILE FOOD UNITS, AND ROADSIDE FOOD VENDORS
REQUIREMENTS FOR DOGS IN OUTDOOR DINING AREAS; MUNICIPAL PREEMPTION.
Text — Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
(a) A food service establishment may permit a customer to be accompanied by a dog in an outdoor dining area if:
(1) the establishment posts a sign in a conspicuous location in the area stating that dogs are permitted;
(2) the customer and dog access the area directly from the exterior of the establishment;
(3) the dog does not enter the interior of the establishment;
(4) the customer keeps the dog on a leash and controls the dog;
(5) the customer does not allow the dog on a seat, table, countertop, or similar surface; and
(6) in the area, the establishment does not:
(A) prepare food; or
(B) permit open food other than food that is being served to a customer.
(b) A municipality may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, rule, or similar measure that imposes a requirement on a food service establishment for a dog in an outdoor dining area that is more stringent than the requirements described by Subsection (a).
(c) The requirements described by Subsection (a) do not apply to a service animal, as defined by Section 437.023(c).
Notes and commentary — not statutory text
History
Added by Acts 2019, 86th Leg., R.S., Ch. 423 (S.B. 476), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2019.
Source of truth
- Edition
- Current through the 89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025
- Official file
- https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.437.htm
- Text hash
- sha256 1a2c648a5256e7c3567274a2ecf6132c11d0da78b6ab7c382fda9b84de80d6c4
- Composed by
- compose_tx.py 2026-10-05: the Legislative Council's chapter files read in document order; verify_tx.py's independent reading (lxml DOM walk) agrees character for character
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Health and Safety Code
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