| 1 | 1 | | 89R13724 EAS-D |
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| 2 | 2 | | By: Perez of El Paso H.B. No. 5389 |
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| 3 | 3 | | |
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| 4 | 4 | | |
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| 5 | 5 | | |
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| 6 | 6 | | |
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| 7 | 7 | | A BILL TO BE ENTITLED |
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| 8 | 8 | | AN ACT |
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| 9 | 9 | | relating to the establishment of a grant program to support the |
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| 10 | 10 | | disposition of deceased paupers' bodies. |
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| 11 | 11 | | BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Chapter 694, Health and Safety Code, is amended |
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| 13 | 13 | | by adding Section 694.004 to read as follows: |
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| 14 | 14 | | Sec. 694.004. DECEASED PAUPERS GRANT PROGRAM. (a) The |
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| 15 | 15 | | Health and Human Services Commission may develop a deceased paupers |
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| 16 | 16 | | grant program to award grants from the deceased paupers grant |
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| 17 | 17 | | account established by this section to counties for the purpose of |
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| 18 | 18 | | paying certain costs associated with the disposition of deceased |
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| 19 | 19 | | paupers' bodies in accordance with Section 694.002. |
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| 20 | 20 | | (b) The Health and Human Services Commission may award a |
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| 21 | 21 | | grant under the grant program to a county to be used for: |
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| 22 | 22 | | (1) paying the costs incurred in disposing of deceased |
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| 23 | 23 | | paupers' bodies in accordance with Section 694.002; and |
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| 24 | 24 | | (2) administering the county's body disposition |
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| 25 | 25 | | activities. |
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| 26 | 26 | | (c) The deceased paupers grant account is a dedicated |
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| 27 | 27 | | account in the general revenue fund and consists of: |
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| 28 | 28 | | (1) appropriations of money to the account by the |
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| 29 | 29 | | legislature; |
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| 30 | 30 | | (2) gifts, grants, and other donations received for |
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| 31 | 31 | | the account; and |
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| 32 | 32 | | (3) interest earned on the investment of money in the |
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| 33 | 33 | | account. |
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| 34 | 34 | | (d) Money in the deceased paupers grant account may be used |
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| 35 | 35 | | by the Health and Human Services Commission only to: |
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| 36 | 36 | | (1) award grants under this section; and |
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| 37 | 37 | | (2) administer the deceased paupers grant program |
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| 38 | 38 | | under this section. |
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| 39 | 39 | | (e) If the Health and Human Services Commission develops a |
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| 40 | 40 | | deceased paupers grant program under this section, the executive |
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| 41 | 41 | | commissioner shall adopt rules for the administration of that |
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| 42 | 42 | | program. |
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| 43 | 43 | | SECTION 2. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |
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