HBA-DMD C.S.H.B. 2301 76(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisC.S.H.B. 2301 By: Farabee County Affairs 3/29/1999 Committee Report (Substituted) BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Currently, the cremation of a pauper is prohibited if a relative or friend expresses objection to cremation. However, if the person objecting does not take financial responsibility for the ground burial, which is more expensive than cremation, the county must pay for burial. C.S.H.B. 2301 requires the commissioners court of each county to provide for the disposition of the body of a deceased pauper and authorizes the commissioners court to adopt necessary rules to implement this requirement. This bill also deletes the provision which prohibits a pauper from being cremated if a relative or friend objects. It requires the commissioners court to consider any information provided by certain persons. RULEMAKING AUTHORITY It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution. SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS SECTION 1. Amends Section 694.002, Health and Safety Code, as follows: Sec. 694.002. New Title: DUTY OF COMMISSIONERS COURT CONCERNING DISPOSITION OF BODY OF DECEASED PAUPERS. (a) Requires the commissioners court of each county to provide for the disposition of the body of a deceased pauper, rather than interment or cremation of paupers. Authorizes the commissioners court to adopt rules to implement this section. Deletes the provision which prohibits a pauper from being cremated if a relative or friend expresses objection to this procedure. (b) Requires the commissioners court to consider any information provided by a person listed in Section 711.002(a) (Disposition of Remains; Duty to Inter.). SECTION 2.Effective date: September 1, 1999. SECTION 3.Emergency clause. COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE C.S.H.B. differs from the original bill in SECTION 1 (Section 694.002, Health and Safety Code) by adding Subsection (b), which requires the commissioners court to consider any information provided by certain persons.