BILL ANALYSIS
By: Isett, Carl
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
In the 78th Regular Session, the Legislature passed HB 587, allowing funeral establishments to own and operate a crematory on their premises. "Funeral establishment" was seen by many to be a broad and generic term, and therefore some people purchased or made arrangements to relocate existing crematory services to another property. However, those holding a commercial embalmer's license were not deemed to be funeral establishments, and were thus not allowed to hold a crematory establishment license under the statute. HB 56 clarifies the statute and allows a person who holds a commercial embalmer's license to also hold a crematory establishment license.
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 56 amends the Occupation Code to provide that a person may not hold a crematory establishment license unless the person holds a commercial embalmers establishment license. The bill expands the definition of a "commercial embalmers establishment" to include a licensed commercial embalmers establishment that meets licensing requirements under Subchapter N may hold a crematory establishment license.
EFFECTIVE DATE
September 1, 2007.