By: Bell of Kaufman (Senate Sponsor - Johnson) H.B. No. 4295
(In the Senate - Received from the House May 10, 2021;
May 12, 2021, read first time and referred to Committee on Health &
Human Services; May 21, 2021, reported favorably by the following
vote: Yeas 9, Nays 0; May 21, 2021, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the authorized release and confidentiality of an
autopsy report.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 11, Article 49.25, Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended by adding Subsection (c) to read as follows:
(c) The medical examiner may release a copy of an autopsy
report of a deceased person to any organ and tissue procurement
organization, hospital, or other covered entity as defined by
Section 181.001, Health and Safety Code, that treated the deceased
person before death or procured any anatomical gift from the body of
the deceased person. The release of a report under this subsection
is not considered a disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.
A report obtained under this subsection is confidential and not
subject to disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code.
SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.
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