SRC-JBJ S.B. 370 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS


Senate Research CenterS.B. 370
By: Ogden
Jurisprudence
5/17/2001
Enrolled


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under Texas law, the cost of an autopsy can only be paid for by the county
in which the person dies, even if an injured person or crime victim was
transported to another county for treatment.  S.B. 370 allows an attorney
representing the state in the prosecution of felonies in the county in
which an injury occurred to request and pay for an autopsy in the county in
which the death occurred. 

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 Article 49.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, by adding
Subsection (o), to authorize, if a person is injured in one county and dies
as a result of those injuries, with the death occurring in another county,
the attorney representing the state in the prosecution of felonies in the
county in which the injury occurred to request a justice of the peace in
the county in which the death occurred to order an autopsy to be performed
on the body of the deceased person.  Requires the county in which the
injury occurred to reimburse the county in which the death occurred if the
justice of the peace orders that the autopsy be performed. 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2001.