C.S.H.B. 2989 78(R) BILL ANALYSIS C.S.H.B. 2989 By: Capelo Public Health Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, authority and provision for the conduct of an inquest by appropriate local authorities only includes language for the discovery of a whole body but does not provide provision for the discovery of body parts. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. ANALYSIS HB 2989 amends Chapter 49 Code of Criminal Procedure and appropriate subchapters by adding 'a body part' to existing language concerning the discovery of 'the body' The bill includes and provides for the roles, process and inquest conducted by the Justice of the Peace, physicians involved, peace officers, medical examiners, and forensic anthropologists when a body part is discovered. EFFECTIVE DATE September 1, 2003 COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE The substitute differs from the original in that it requires the practitioner to hold a doctoral degree in anthropology rather than be only certified.