By: Campos, Garcia of Bexar, Ordaz, LaHood, H.B. No. 1675
Johnson
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the interment of certain cremated animal remains with
human remains in perpetual care cemeteries and the eligibility of
those cemeteries for an exemption from ad valorem taxation.
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) "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.
(3) "Pet remains" means the remains of a pet carcass
that has been incinerated by an animal carcass incinerator for
which a permit has been issued by the Texas Commission on
Environmental Quality.
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a perpetual care
cemetery may allow:
(1) the pet 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 remains with a deceased individual.
SECTION 3. Section 11.17, Tax Code, is amended to read as
follows:
Sec. 11.17. CEMETERIES. A person is entitled to an
exemption from taxation of the property the person:
(1) [he] owns and uses exclusively for human burial or
for human and pet burial in accordance with Section 712.010, Health
and Safety Code; and
(2) does not hold for profit.
SECTION 4. 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 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.