89R20909 EAS-D
By: Campos H.B. No. 1675
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 1675:
By: VanDeaver C.S.H.B. No. 1675
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the interment of certain cremated animal remains with
human remains in perpetual care cemeteries.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as Mona's Law.
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 712, Health and Safety
Code, is amended by adding Section 712.010 to read as follows:
Sec. 712.010. PET INTERMENT. (a) In this section:
(1) "Columbarium," "grave," "interment," and
"memorial" have the meanings assigned by Section 711.001.
(2) "Cremated remains" means the bone fragments
remaining after the cremation process, which may include the
residue of any foreign materials that were cremated with the human
or pet remains.
(3) "Cremation" means the irreversible process of
reducing human or pet remains to bone fragments through extreme
heat and evaporation, which may include the processing or the
pulverization of bone fragments.
(4) "Pet" means a domesticated animal that an
individual owns and keeps in or near the individual's household for
the primary purpose of companionship. The term does not include a
livestock animal as defined by Section 42.09, Penal Code.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a perpetual care
cemetery may allow:
(1) the cremated remains of a deceased individual's
pet to be:
(A) buried in the individual's casket at the time
of the individual's interment; or
(B) placed beside the individual's cremated
remains in a columbarium; and
(2) information about the pet to be included on the
individual's memorial.
(c) An individual may not euthanize a pet for the purpose of
interring the pet with a deceased individual.
(d) Notwithstanding any other law, a perpetual care
cemetery may dedicate an area, separate from other areas of the
cemetery, as a family cemetery in which a family's human and pet
remains may be buried in separate graves.
SECTION 3. As soon as practicable after the effective date
of this Act, the Finance Commission of Texas shall adopt rules
necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act.
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.