BILL ANALYSIS Senate Research Center S.B. 1370 89R13986 LRM-D By: Parker; Huffman Criminal Justice 3/21/2025 As Filed AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT Under current Texas law, counties with populations of more than 2.5 million are required to establish and maintain an office of medical examiner, while counties below that threshold may opt to establish one. Rapid population growth across the state means several counties with populations above one millionthough below 2.5 millionoften face the same need for dedicated medical examiner services. Existing law's higher threshold can leave these mid-sized counties without the resources or requirement to create an office, potentially impacting timely and thorough investigations of deaths. Current statute allows counties to form multi-county medical examiner districts, but it has not always been clear or sufficiently flexible for all countiesregardless of populationto join together and share resources. S.B. 1370 seeks to lower the mandatory threshold for establishing a medical examiner's office from counties with populations of over 2.5 million to those with over one million, ensuring that more counties are equipped to provide timely and thorough forensic services. It also clarifies that two or more counties, regardless of population size, can partner to form a medical examiner's district, enabling contiguous regions to pool expertise and share facilities. By expanding the pool of counties required or able to create an office or a district, S.B. 1370 aims to strengthen investigative capacity statewide, enhance public health and safety, and improve the consistency and reliability of death investigations. As proposed, S.B. 1370 amends current law relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 1, Article 49.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows: Sec. 1. New heading: OFFICE REQUIRED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES AND AUTHORIZED IN OTHER COUNTIES. Requires the commissioners court of any county with a population of more than one million, rather than 2.5 million, subject to the provisions of Article 49.25 (Medical Examiners), to establish and maintain the office of medical examiner, and authorizes the commissioners court of any county with a population of less than one million to establish and provide for the maintenance of the office of medical examiner. Makes a nonsubstantive change. SECTION 2. Amends Section 1-a(a), Article 49.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, to authorize the commissioners courts of two or more counties, regardless of population size, to enter into an agreement to create a medical examiners district and to jointly operate and maintain the office of medical examiner of the district. SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.
BILL ANALYSIS
Senate Research Center S.B. 1370
89R13986 LRM-D By: Parker; Huffman
Criminal Justice
3/21/2025
As Filed
Senate Research Center
S.B. 1370
89R13986 LRM-D
By: Parker; Huffman
Criminal Justice
3/21/2025
As Filed
AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT
Under current Texas law, counties with populations of more than 2.5 million are required to establish and maintain an office of medical examiner, while counties below that threshold may opt to establish one. Rapid population growth across the state means several counties with populations above one millionthough below 2.5 millionoften face the same need for dedicated medical examiner services. Existing law's higher threshold can leave these mid-sized counties without the resources or requirement to create an office, potentially impacting timely and thorough investigations of deaths. Current statute allows counties to form multi-county medical examiner districts, but it has not always been clear or sufficiently flexible for all countiesregardless of populationto join together and share resources.
S.B. 1370 seeks to lower the mandatory threshold for establishing a medical examiner's office from counties with populations of over 2.5 million to those with over one million, ensuring that more counties are equipped to provide timely and thorough forensic services. It also clarifies that two or more counties, regardless of population size, can partner to form a medical examiner's district, enabling contiguous regions to pool expertise and share facilities. By expanding the pool of counties required or able to create an office or a district, S.B. 1370 aims to strengthen investigative capacity statewide, enhance public health and safety, and improve the consistency and reliability of death investigations.
As proposed, S.B. 1370 amends current law relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY
This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.
SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS
SECTION 1. Amends Section 1, Article 49.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, as follows:
Sec. 1. New heading: OFFICE REQUIRED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES AND AUTHORIZED IN OTHER COUNTIES. Requires the commissioners court of any county with a population of more than one million, rather than 2.5 million, subject to the provisions of Article 49.25 (Medical Examiners), to establish and maintain the office of medical examiner, and authorizes the commissioners court of any county with a population of less than one million to establish and provide for the maintenance of the office of medical examiner. Makes a nonsubstantive change.
SECTION 2. Amends Section 1-a(a), Article 49.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, to authorize the commissioners courts of two or more counties, regardless of population size, to enter into an agreement to create a medical examiners district and to jointly operate and maintain the office of medical examiner of the district.
SECTION 3. Effective date: September 1, 2025.