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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to certain fees paid in connection with the ordering or |
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performance of an autopsy. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Article 49.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by amending Subsections (b), (g), and (h) and adding |
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Subsections (b-1), (g-1), and (h-1) to read as follows: |
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(b) For a body or body part found outside the boundaries of a |
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municipality, the [The] commissioners court of the county shall pay |
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a reasonable fee for a consultation obtained by a justice of the |
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peace under Subsection (a) of this article. |
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(b-1) For a body or body part found within the boundaries of |
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a municipality, the municipality shall pay a reasonable fee for a |
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consultation obtained by a justice of the peace under Subsection |
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(a) of this article. |
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(g) For a body or body part found outside the boundaries of a |
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municipality, the [The] commissioners court shall pay a reasonable |
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fee to a physician performing an autopsy on the order of a justice |
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of the peace, if a fee is assessed. |
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(g-1) For a body or body part found within the boundaries of |
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a municipality, the municipality shall pay a reasonable fee to a |
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physician performing an autopsy on the order of a justice of the |
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peace, if a fee is assessed. |
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(h) For a body or body part found outside the boundaries of a |
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municipality, the [The] commissioners court shall pay a reasonable |
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fee for the transportation of the [a] body or body part to a place |
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where an autopsy can be performed under this article if a justice of |
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the peace orders the body or body part to be transported to the |
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place. |
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(h-1) For a body or body part found within the boundaries of |
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a municipality, the municipality shall pay a reasonable fee for the |
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transportation of the body or body part to a place where an autopsy |
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can be performed under this article if a justice of the peace orders |
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the body or body part to be transported to the place. |
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SECTION 2. The change in law made by this Act applies only |
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to an autopsy ordered on or after the effective date of this Act. An |
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autopsy ordered before the effective date of this Act is governed by |
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the law in effect on the date the autopsy was ordered, and the |
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former law is continued in effect for that purpose. |
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SECTION 3. 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, 2013. |