1-1     By:  Hirschi (Senate Sponsor - Haywood)               H.B. No. 1860

 1-2           (In the Senate - Received from the House April 11, 1997;

 1-3     April 14, 1997, read first time and referred to Committee on

 1-4     Jurisprudence; April 29, 1997, reported favorably by the following

 1-5     vote:  Yeas 6, Nays 1; April 29, 1997, sent to printer.)

 1-6                            A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

 1-7                                   AN ACT

 1-8     relating to the disposition of the body of a deceased pauper.

 1-9           BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

1-10           SECTION 1.  Section 694.002, Health and Safety Code, is

1-11     amended to read as follows:

1-12           Sec. 694.002.  DUTY OF COMMISSIONERS COURT CONCERNING

1-13     DISPOSITION OF BODY OF DECEASED PAUPER [BURIAL OF PAUPERS].  The

1-14     commissioners court of each county shall provide for the

1-15     disposition of the body of a deceased pauper [interment or

1-16     cremation of paupers].  [A pauper may not be cremated if a relative

1-17     or friend expresses objection to this procedure.]

1-18           SECTION 2.  This Act takes effect September 1, 1997.

1-19           SECTION 3.  The importance of this legislation and the

1-20     crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an

1-21     emergency and an imperative public necessity that the

1-22     constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several

1-23     days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended.

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