BILL ANALYSIS

S.B. 68

By: Nelson

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There is concern that current law does not adequately accommodate the religious beliefs of grieving families who wish to cremate loved ones as swiftly as possible. S.B. 68 seeks to provide for a request for a waiver of the waiting period before human remains may be cremated.

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

S.B. 68 amends the Health and Safety Code to require the county medical examiner, or, in counties that do not have a county medical examiner, justices of the peace, to develop and maintain a written policy for requesting a written waiver of the 48-hour waiting period before human remains may be cremated. The bill requires the medical examiner or justices of the peace, in developing the policy, to consider how persons may make a request, the availability to make a request on weekends or holidays, and other issues relevant to processing a request as swiftly as possible.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.