Texas 2025 - 89th Regular

Texas House Bill HB2200 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	89R5785 EAS-D
2	2	By: Hernandez H.B. No. 2200
3	3
4	4
5	5
6	6
7	7	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
8	8	AN ACT
9	9	relating to the cremation of human remains by natural organic
10	10	reduction.
11	11	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
12	12	SECTION 1. Sections 711.001(11), (12), and (13), Health and
13	13	Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
14	14	(11) "Cremated remains" or "cremains" means the
15	15	essential elements, including bone fragments, remaining after the
16	16	cremation process, which may include the residue of any foreign
17	17	materials that were cremated with the human remains.
18	18	(12) "Cremation" means the irreversible process of
19	19	reducing human remains to essential elements, including bone
20	20	fragments, through extreme heat and evaporation or through natural
21	21	organic reduction. The process[, which] may include the processing
22	22	or the pulverization of bone fragments.
23	23	(13) "Crematory" means a structure containing a
24	24	furnace or natural organic reduction chamber used or intended to be
25	25	used for the cremation of human remains. The term includes a
26	26	facility that cremates human remains through natural organic
27	27	reduction.
28	28	SECTION 2. Sections 716.001(5), (6), and (9), Health and
29	29	Safety Code, are amended to read as follows:
30	30	(5) "Cremation" means the irreversible process of
31	31	reducing human remains to essential elements, including bone
32	32	fragments, through direct flame, extreme heat, and evaporation or
33	33	through natural organic reduction. The term may include
34	34	pulverization, which is the process of reducing identifiable bone
35	35	fragments after cremation and processing granulated particles by
36	36	manual or mechanical means.
37	37	(6) "Cremation chamber" means an enclosed chamber
38	38	[retort] used exclusively for cremation of human remains. The term
39	39	includes a natural organic reduction chamber.
40	40	(9) "Crematory" means a structure containing a furnace
41	41	or natural organic reduction chamber [retort] used or intended to
42	42	be used for cremating [cremation of] human remains. The term
43	43	includes a facility that cremates human remains through natural
44	44	organic reduction.
45	45	SECTION 3. Section 716.002, Health and Safety Code, is
46	46	amended to read as follows:
47	47	Sec. 716.002. CREMATION RULES. (a) The commission may
48	48	adopt rules consistent with this chapter and Chapter 651,
49	49	Occupations Code, to govern the cremation of human remains.
50	50	(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of this chapter and
51	51	Chapter 651, Occupations Code, the commission may modify cremation
52	52	procedures and requirements under Subchapter D to the extent
53	53	necessary to allow cremation through natural organic reduction.
54	54	SECTION 4. Section 716.151(a), Health and Safety Code, is
55	55	amended to read as follows:
56	56	(a) Except as provided by Section 716.1525, human [Human]
57	57	remains must be placed in a cremation container that:
58	58	(1) is made of combustible materials suitable for
59	59	cremation;
60	60	(2) provides a complete covering of the body;
61	61	(3) is resistant to leakage or spillage;
62	62	(4) is rigid for easy handling; and
63	63	(5) protects the health and safety of crematory
64	64	personnel.
65	65	SECTION 5. Subchapter D, Chapter 716, Health and Safety
66	66	Code, is amended by adding Section 716.1525 to read as follows:
67	67	Sec. 716.1525. NATURAL ORGANIC REDUCTION CREMATION.
68	68	Notwithstanding Sections 716.151 and 716.152, the commission by
69	69	rule shall establish the requirements for cremation through natural
70	70	organic reduction, including rules for the cremation process and
71	71	for containers used in the process.
72	72	SECTION 6. Section 651.001(3), Occupations Code, is amended
73	73	to read as follows:
74	74	(3) "Crematory" means a structure containing a furnace
75	75	or natural organic reduction chamber used or intended to be used for
76	76	the cremation of human remains. The term includes a facility that
77	77	cremates human remains through natural organic reduction.
78	78	SECTION 7. Sections 651.651(1) and (2), Occupations Code,
79	79	are amended to read as follows:
80	80	(1) "Cremation" means the irreversible process of
81	81	reducing human remains to essential elements, including bone
82	82	fragments, through direct flame, extreme heat, and evaporation or
83	83	through natural organic reduction. The term may include
84	84	pulverization, which is the process of reducing identifiable bone
85	85	fragments after cremation and processing granulated particles by
86	86	manual or mechanical means.
87	87	(2) "Crematory establishment" means a business
88	88	licensed under this subchapter to operate a crematory and to
89	89	perform cremation services, including a facility that cremates
90	90	human remains through natural organic reduction.
91	91	SECTION 8. Not later than December 1, 2025, the Texas
92	92	Funeral Service Commission shall adopt rules to implement the
93	93	changes in law made by this Act.
94	94	SECTION 9. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
95	95	a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
96	96	provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
97	97	Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
98	98	Act takes effect September 1, 2025.