| |
| |
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
|
relating to the requirements for appointment as a medical examiner |
|
|
or employment as an assistant or deputy medical examiner. |
|
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
|
SECTION 1. Section 2(a), Article 49.25, Code of Criminal |
|
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
(a) The commissioners court shall appoint the medical |
|
|
examiner, who serves at the pleasure of the commissioners court. A |
|
|
person appointed as the medical examiner must: |
|
|
(1) hold a certification in anatomic pathology and |
|
|
forensic pathology issued by the American Board of Pathology; and |
|
|
(2) either be: |
|
|
(A) [(1)] a physician licensed by the Texas |
|
|
Medical Board; or |
|
|
(B) [(2)] a person who: |
|
|
(i) [(A)] is licensed and in good standing |
|
|
as a physician in another state; |
|
|
(ii) [(B)] has applied to the Texas Medical |
|
|
Board for a license to practice medicine in this state; and |
|
|
(iii) [(C)] has been granted a provisional |
|
|
license under Section 155.101, Occupations Code. |
|
|
SECTION 2. Section 3, Article 49.25, Code of Criminal |
|
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
|
Sec. 3. ASSISTANTS, DEPUTIES, AND OTHER PERSONNEL; |
|
|
QUALIFICATIONS. (a) The medical examiner may, subject to the |
|
|
approval of the commissioners court, employ such assistant or |
|
|
deputy medical examiners, scientific experts, trained technicians, |
|
|
officers and employees as may be necessary to the proper |
|
|
performance of the duties imposed by this Article upon the medical |
|
|
examiner. |
|
|
(b) An assistant or deputy medical examiner employed under |
|
|
this section must hold or be eligible to hold a certification issued |
|
|
by the American Board of Pathology in anatomic pathology and |
|
|
forensic pathology. |
|
|
SECTION 3. Section 2(b), Article 49.25, Code of Criminal |
|
|
Procedure, is repealed. |
|
|
SECTION 4. A person is not required to comply with Article |
|
|
49.25, Code of Criminal Procedure, as amended by this Act, until |
|
|
January 1, 2026. |
|
|
SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |