|
|
|
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
|
|
AN ACT
|
|
relating to the requirements for appointment as a medical examiner |
|
or employment as a deputy medical examiner. |
|
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|
SECTION 1. Sections 2(a) and (b), Article 49.25, Code of |
|
Criminal Procedure, are 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. |
|
(b) The [To the greatest extent possible, the] medical |
|
examiner shall be appointed from persons having training and |
|
experience in anatomic and forensic pathology, toxicology, |
|
histology and other medico-legal sciences. |
|
SECTION 2. Section 3, Article 49.25, Code of Criminal |
|
Procedure, is amended to read as follows: |
|
Sec. 3. ASSISTANTS. The medical examiner may, subject to |
|
the approval of the commissioners court, employ such 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. A 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. 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 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025. |