By: Hartnett (Senate Sponsor - Nelson) H.B. No. 1739

(In the Senate - Received from the House April 23, 2007; April 26, 2007, read first time and referred to Committee on Health and Human Services; May 4, 2007, reported favorably by the following vote: Yeas 7, Nays 0; May 4, 2007, sent to printer.)

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to electronic submission of certain information on a death certificate.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 193.002, Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

Sec. 193.002. PERSON REQUIRED TO FILE. The person in charge of interment or in charge of removal of a body from a registration district for disposition shall:

(1) obtain and file the death certificate or fetal death certificate;

(2) enter on the certificate the information relating to disposition of the body; [and]

(3) sign the certificate; and

(4) file the certificate electronically as specified by the state registrar.

SECTION 2. Section 193.005(h), Health and Safety Code, is amended to read as follows:

(h) The person completing the medical certification shall submit the information and attest to its validity using [either by signature or by] an electronic process approved by the state registrar.

SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding Sections 193.002 and 193.005, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, any funeral home that does not on the effective date of this Act renew its establishment license electronically is not required to comply with the change in law made by this Act before September 1, 2008.

(b) Notwithstanding Sections 193.002 and 193.005, Health and Safety Code, as amended by this Act, any doctor that does not on the effective date of this Act renew the doctor's license online is not required to comply with the change in law made by this Act before September 1, 2008.

SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2007.

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