| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the interment of certain cremated animal remains with |
|
|
human remains in perpetual care cemeteries and the eligibility of |
|
|
those cemeteries for an exemption from ad valorem taxation. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. This Act shall be known as Mona's Law. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Subchapter A, Chapter 712, Health and Safety |
|
|
Code, is amended by adding Section 712.010 to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 712.010. PET INTERMENT. (a) In this section: |
|
|
(1) "Columbarium," "grave," "interment," and |
|
|
"memorial" have the meanings assigned by Section 711.001. |
|
|
(2) "Pet" means a domesticated animal that an |
|
|
individual owns and keeps in or near the individual's household for |
|
|
the primary purpose of companionship. The term does not include a |
|
|
livestock animal as defined by Section 42.09, Penal Code. |
|
|
(3) "Pet remains" means the remains of a pet carcass |
|
|
that has been incinerated by an animal carcass incinerator for |
|
|
which a permit has been issued by the Texas Commission on |
|
|
Environmental Quality. |
|
|
(b) Notwithstanding any other law, a perpetual care |
|
|
cemetery may allow: |
|
|
(1) the pet remains of a deceased individual's pet to |
|
|
be: |
|
|
(A) buried in the individual's casket at the time |
|
|
of the individual's interment; or |
|
|
(B) placed beside the individual's cremated |
|
|
remains in a columbarium; and |
|
|
(2) information about the pet to be included on the |
|
|
individual's memorial. |
|
|
(c) An individual may not euthanize a pet for the purpose of |
|
|
interring the pet remains with a deceased individual. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 11.17, Tax Code, is amended to read as |
|
|
follows: |
|
|
Sec. 11.17. CEMETERIES. A person is entitled to an |
|
|
exemption from taxation of the property the person: |
|
|
(1) [he] owns and uses exclusively for human burial or |
|
|
for human and pet burial in accordance with Section 712.010, Health |
|
|
and Safety Code; and |
|
|
(2) does not hold for profit. |
|
|
SECTION 4. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
|
|
of this Act, the Finance Commission of Texas shall adopt rules |
|
|
necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |