| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the cemeteries in certain counties. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Subchapter B, Chapter 713, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 713.0271 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 713.0271. CEMETERY OWNED BY CERTAIN COUNTIES. A |
|
|
county with a population of more than 550,000 that borders a county |
|
|
with a population of more than 3.3 million may own, operate, and |
|
|
maintain a cemetery. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 713.028(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) For purposes of historical preservation or public |
|
|
health, safety, or welfare, a commissioners court may use public |
|
|
funds, county employees, county inmate labor as provided by Article |
|
|
43.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, and county equipment to maintain |
|
|
a cemetery that is at least [has a grave marker more than] 50 years |
|
|
old. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 713.026(a), Health and Safety Code, is |
|
|
amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) Except as provided by Sections 713.027, 713.0271, and |
|
|
713.028, a trustee of a fund established under this subchapter or a |
|
|
member of the commissioners court or any other elected county |
|
|
officer may not pay or use public funds or county employees, |
|
|
equipment, or property to maintain a neglected or unkept public or |
|
|
private cemetery. |
|
|
SECTION 4. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
|
|
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
|
|
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
|
|
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
|
|
Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |