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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the disposition of cash in possession of a deceased |
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pauper. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 694.002, Health and Safety Code, is |
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amended by adding Subsections (c), (d), and (e) to read as follows: |
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(c) If a county discovers cash in the possession of a |
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deceased pauper, a county may use the cash to pay the actual costs |
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incurred by the county in disposing of the pauper's body. |
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(d) If any cash remains after the county has paid the costs |
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of disposing of the body under Subsection (c), the county shall |
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place the cash in trust. A person having a claim to the money in |
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trust must exercise the right to collect the money not later than |
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the first anniversary of the date of disposition of the pauper's |
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body. |
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(e) A county may create a fund to be used by the county to |
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pay the costs incurred in disposing of the bodies of deceased |
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paupers and administering the county's body disposition |
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activities. If money placed in a trust under Subsection (d) is not |
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claimed by the first anniversary of the date of disposition of the |
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pauper's body, the county may transfer the money to the fund created |
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under this subsection. |
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SECTION 2. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2009. |