By: Kolkhorst  S.B. No. 545
         (In the Senate - Filed January 23, 2023; February 17, 2023,
  read first time and referred to Committee on Health & Human
  Services; March 13, 2023, reported favorably by the following
  vote:  Yeas 9, Nays 0; March 13, 2023, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to death records maintained and provided by the vital
  statistics unit of the Department of State Health Services.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Subchapter A, Chapter 191, Health and Safety
  Code, is amended by adding Section 191.011 to read as follows:
         Sec. 191.011.  DEATH INFORMATION PROVIDED TO SECRETARY OF
  STATE. (a) The department shall implement an efficient and
  effective method to provide death information to the secretary of
  state to assist in maintaining the statewide computerized voter
  registration list under Section 18.061, Election Code.
         (b)  The method implemented under Subsection (a) must
  provide at least the following information on each deceased person
  for whom a death certificate is filed with a local registrar in this
  state:
               (1)  the county of residence of the deceased;
               (2)  the date of birth of the deceased; and
               (3)  the full name of the deceased.
         (c)  The department shall enter into a memorandum of
  understanding with the secretary of state to implement this
  section. The memorandum of understanding must include a mechanism
  for the department to provide the secretary of state with death
  information that includes unique identifiers necessary to
  accurately match death records with names included on the voter
  registration list.
         SECTION 2.  Section 193.001, Health and Safety Code, is
  amended by adding Subsection (c-1) to read as follows:
         (c-1)  The department shall require death certificates to
  include the county where the decedent died and the decedent's
  county of last legal residence.
         SECTION 3.  Section 16.001(c), Election Code, is amended to
  read as follows:
         (c)  Once each week, on a day specified by the secretary of
  state, the vital statistics unit [Bureau of Vital Statistics] shall
  furnish to the secretary of state available information [specified
  by the secretary] relating to deceased residents of the state as
  provided by Section 191.011, Health and Safety Code, in the form and
  manner specified by the secretary. Periodically, the secretary
  shall furnish to the appropriate voter registrars information
  obtained from the unit [bureau] that will assist in identifying the
  deceased registered voters of each county.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.
 
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