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          AN ACT
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        relating to the form of death certificates and fetal death  | 
      
      
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        certificates. | 
      
      
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               BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | 
      
      
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               SECTION 1.  Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, is  | 
      
      
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        amended by adding Subsection (a-1) to read as follows: | 
      
      
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               (a-1)  In prescribing each form under Subsection (a), the  | 
      
      
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        department shall ensure that the form instructs the person required  | 
      
      
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        to file the death certificate or fetal death certificate to: | 
      
      
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                     (1)  enter the date in the standard order of "month,  | 
      
      
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        day, year"; and | 
      
      
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                     (2)  spell out the name of the month when entering the  | 
      
      
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        date. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 2.  (a)  The Department of State Health Services  | 
      
      
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        shall revise and make available the forms required by Section  | 
      
      
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        193.001, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, not later  | 
      
      
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        than January 1, 2012. | 
      
      
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               (b)  A person required to file a death certificate or a fetal  | 
      
      
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        death certificate is not required to use the revised form required  | 
      
      
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        by Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act,  | 
      
      
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        before February 1, 2012. | 
      
      
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               SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives  | 
      
      
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        a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as  | 
      
      
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        provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this  | 
      
      
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        Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this  | 
      
      
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        Act takes effect September 1, 2011. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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           President of the Senate | 
        Speaker of the House      | 
      
      
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               I certify that H.B. No. 2940 was passed by the House on May 4,  | 
      
      
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        2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 142, Nays 1, 2 present, not  | 
      
      
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        voting. | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Chief Clerk of the House    | 
      
      
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               I certify that H.B. No. 2940 was passed by the Senate on May  | 
      
      
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        24, 2011, by the following vote:  Yeas 31, Nays 0 | 
      
      
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        . | 
      
      
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        ______________________________ | 
      
      
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        Secretary of the Senate     | 
      
      
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        APPROVED:  _____________________ | 
      
      
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                           Date           | 
      
      
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                  _____________________ | 
      
      
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                         Governor        |