BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1422

By: Villarreal

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, state law prohibits locating a funeral establishment  on tax-exempt property.

H.B. 1422 authorizes an accredited post-secondary educational institution to establish a funeral establishment on campus for educational training purposes in the field of mortuary science. The bill aids students in completing their required embalming training so that they do not have to rely on private funeral homes for instruction. 

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

H.B. 1422 amends the Occupations Code to exempt a funeral establishment, located on the tax exempt property of an accredited post-secondary educational institution that is operated in connection with an accredited educational program for funeral services from the license requirement that a funeral establishment be located at a fixed place that is neither a tax-exempt property nor a cemetery.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the act does not receive the necessary vote, the act takes effect September 1, 2009.