Texas 2023 - 88th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB545 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New	Differences
1	1	S.B. No. 545
2	2
3	3
4	4	AN ACT
5	5	relating to death records maintained and provided by the vital
6	6	statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services.
7	7	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
8	8	SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety
9	9	Code, is amended by adding Section 191.011 to read as follows:
10	10	Sec. 191.011. DEATH INFORMATION PROVIDED TO SECRETARY OF
11	11	STATE. (a) The department shall implement an efficient and
12	12	effective method to provide death information to the secretary of
13	13	state to assist in maintaining the statewide computerized voter
14	14	registration list under Section 18.061, Election Code.
15	15	(b) The method implemented under Subsection (a) must
16	16	provide at least the following information on each deceased person
17	17	for whom a death certificate is filed with a local registrar in this
18	18	state:
19	19	(1) the county of residence of the deceased;
20	20	(2) the date of birth of the deceased; and
21	21	(3) the full name of the deceased.
22	22	(c) The department shall enter into a memorandum of
23	23	understanding with the secretary of state to implement this
24	24	section. The memorandum of understanding must include a mechanism
25	25	for the department to provide the secretary of state with death
26	26	information that includes unique identifiers necessary to
27	27	accurately match death records with names included on the voter
28	28	registration list.
29	29	SECTION 2. Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, is
30	30	amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
31	31	(c-1) The department shall require death certificates to
32	32	include the county where the decedent died and the decedent's
33	33	county of last legal residence.
34	34	SECTION 3. Section 16.001(c), Election Code, is amended to
35	35	read as follows:
36	36	(c) Once each week, on a day specified by the secretary of
37	37	state, the vital statistics unit [Bureau of Vital Statistics] shall
38	38	furnish to the secretary of state available information [specified
39	39	by the secretary] relating to deceased residents of the state as
40	40	provided by Section 191.011, Health and Safety Code, in the form and
41	41	manner specified by the secretary. Periodically, the secretary
42	42	shall furnish to the appropriate voter registrars information
43	43	obtained from the unit [bureau] that will assist in identifying the
44	44	deceased registered voters of each county.
45	45	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
46	46	______________________________ ______________________________
47	47	President of the Senate Speaker of the House
48	48	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 545 passed the Senate on
49	49	April 3, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0.
50	50	______________________________
51	51	Secretary of the Senate
52	52	I hereby certify that S.B. No. 545 passed the House on
53	53	May 24, 2023, by the following vote: Yeas 141, Nays 0, one
54	54	present not voting.
55	55	______________________________
56	56	Chief Clerk of the House
57	57	Approved:
58	58	______________________________
59	59	Date
60	60	______________________________
61	61	Governor