BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 3945

By: Faircloth

Public Health

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties note an increase in the use of crematory services and contend that the membership of the Texas Funeral Service Commission should be adjusted to reflect this increase and to make other updates. H.B. 3945 seeks to address this issue by revising the membership of the commission. 

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 3945 amends the Occupations Code to revise the membership of the Texas Funeral Service Commission by reducing from two to one the number of members who are licensed as both an embalmer and a funeral director for at least the five years preceding appointment to the commission, requiring the member who is a registered cemetery owner or operator to also be licensed as a funeral director, and adding one member who is licensed as a funeral director and is a licensed crematory establishment operator. The bill authorizes a member appointed before the bill's effective date to continue to serve until the expiration of the member's term.

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2017.