BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 1910

By: Schofield

Land & Resource Management

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

In Texas, municipalities may not create new cemeteries within certain distances of their boundaries. Larger cities in Texas are restricted even further, given that the requisite distance from such a boundary increases the larger the municipality's population. Due to rapid population growth across the state, some municipalities are unable to establish new cemeteries, forcing families to bury their loved ones miles away from their homes and local churches. H.B. 1910 seeks to address this issue by authorizing any nonprofit organization to file an application with certain municipalities to establish or use a cemetery located within the boundaries of the municipality.

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. 1910 amends the Health and Safety Code to postpone from not later than September 1, 2020, to not later than September 1, 2024, the deadline for a nonprofit organization to file a written application with the governing body of a municipality that is wholly or partly located in a county with a population of more than 3.3 million to establish or use a cemetery located inside the municipality's boundaries.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.