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


Senate Research Center   S.B. 370
77R2657 GWK-DBy: Ogden
Jurisprudence
2/15/2001
As Filed


DIGEST AND PURPOSE 

Under current 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.  As proposed, 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), as follows: 

(o)  Authorizes, 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.