BILL ANALYSIS
By: Lindsay
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
The Health and Safety Code permits an organized religious society or sect to establish and use a columbarium attached to a principal church building. This bill authorizes a church to construct a columbarium that is not attached to the principal church building as long as it is constructed on land owned by the religious society or sect that is part of the campus in which the existing principal church building is located. This bill is bracketed to apply to the City of Houston.
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
This bill defines "campus" to mean the area within the boundaries of one or more adjacent tracts, parcels, or lots under common ownership, in which the principal church building and related structures and facilities and that are subject to one or more easements for street, utility, or pipeline purposes.
This bill provides that restricting the location of property used for the interment of remains is inapplicable to the establishment and use of a columbarium that is established and used by an organized religious society;
· that is tax exempt, and
· is established and used within a municipality of a population of 1.8 million.
· on land that is owned by the society or sect, and
· is part of a campus on which an existing principal church building is located.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2005.