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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the persons authorized to conduct an inquest in certain |
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counties. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 27, |
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Government Code, is amended to read as follows: |
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SUBCHAPTER C. CONDUCTING COURT AND INQUESTS |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 27, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 27.0545 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 27.0545. EXCHANGE OF BENCHES: INQUESTS. (a) If a |
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justice of the peace or the county judge of a county to which |
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Subchapter A, Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies is |
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not available to conduct an inquest into a person's death occurring |
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in the county, the justice of the peace of the precinct in which the |
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death occurred or the county judge may request a justice of the |
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peace of another county to which that subchapter applies to conduct |
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the inquest. |
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(b) A justice of the peace who on request conducts an |
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inquest under this section shall, not later than the fifth day after |
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the date the inquest is initiated, transfer all information related |
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to the inquest to the justice of the peace of the precinct in which |
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the death occurred for final disposition of the matter. |
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(c) A justice of the peace who conducts an inquest under |
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this section is not entitled to receive from the commissioners |
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court of the county in which the death occurred any compensation, |
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other than mileage, for conducting the inquest. |
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SECTION 3. Article 49.07(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is |
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amended by adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows: |
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(3) If a justice of the peace or the county judge |
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serving the county in which the body or body part was found is not |
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available to conduct an inquest, a person required to give notice |
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under this article may ask the justice of the peace of the precinct |
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in which the body or body part was found or the county judge to |
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request a justice of the peace of another county to which this |
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subchapter applies to conduct the inquest. The justice of the peace |
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that conducts the inquest shall, not later than the fifth day after |
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the date the inquest is initiated, transfer all information related |
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to the inquest to the justice of the peace of the precinct in which |
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the body or body part was found for final disposition of the matter. |
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All expenses related to the inquest must be paid as provided by this |
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chapter. |
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SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. |