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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to death records maintained and provided by the vital |
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statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety |
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Code, is amended by adding Section 191.011 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 191.011. DEATH INFORMATION PROVIDED TO SECRETARY OF |
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STATE. (a) The department shall implement an efficient and |
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effective method to provide death information to the secretary of |
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state to assist in maintaining the statewide computerized voter |
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registration list under Section 18.061, Election Code. |
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(b) The method implemented under Subsection (a) must |
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provide at least the following information on each deceased person |
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for whom a death certificate is filed with a local registrar in this |
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state: |
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(1) the county of residence of the deceased; |
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(2) the date of birth of the deceased; and |
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(3) the full name of the deceased. |
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(c) The department shall enter into a memorandum of |
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understanding with the secretary of state to implement this |
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section. The memorandum of understanding must include a mechanism |
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for the department to provide the secretary of state with death |
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information that includes unique identifiers necessary to |
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accurately match death records with names included on the voter |
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registration list. |
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SECTION 2. Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows: |
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(c-1) The department shall require death certificates to |
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include the county where the decedent died and the decedent's |
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county of last legal residence. |
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SECTION 3. Section 16.001(c), Election Code, is amended to |
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read as follows: |
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(c) Once each week, on a day specified by the secretary of |
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state, the vital statistics unit [Bureau of Vital Statistics] shall |
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furnish to the secretary of state available information [specified |
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by the secretary] relating to deceased residents of the state as |
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provided by Section 191.011, Health and Safety Code, in the form and |
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manner specified by the secretary. Periodically, the secretary |
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shall furnish to the appropriate voter registrars information |
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obtained from the unit [bureau] that will assist in identifying the |
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deceased registered voters of each county. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2023. |