By: Nelson S.B. No. 68
(In the Senate - Filed November 12, 2012; January 28, 2013,
read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human
Services; March 4, 2013, reported adversely, with favorable
Committee Substitute by the following vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0;
March 4, 2013, sent to printer.)
COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR S.B. No. 68 By: Nelson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to a request for a waiver of the waiting period before
human remains may be cremated.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 716.004, Health and Safety Code, is
amended by adding Subsection (b) to read as follows:
(b) The county medical examiner, or, in counties that do not
have a county medical examiner, justices of the peace, shall
develop and maintain a written policy for requesting a written
waiver of the 48-hour waiting period before cremation. In
developing the policy, the medical examiner or justices of the
peace shall consider how persons may make a request, the
availability to make a request on weekends or holidays, and other
issues relevant to processing a request as swiftly as possible.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
Act takes effect September 1, 2013.
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