Bill Text: TX HB3294 | 2019-2020 | 86th Legislature | Introduced


Bill Title: Relating to reimbursing a commissioners court for the reasonable cost of transporting a body for the purpose of an autopsy.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2019-04-18 - Left pending in committee [HB3294 Detail]

Download: Texas-2019-HB3294-Introduced.html
  86R13050 AJZ-D
 
  By: Raymond H.B. No. 3294
 
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
  relating to reimbursing a commissioners court for the reasonable
  cost of transporting a body for the purpose of an autopsy.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Article 49.10, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (h-1) to read as follows:
         (h-1)  A commissioners court that pays a fee to transport a
  body to or from a place where an autopsy can be performed under this
  article may seek reimbursement for the reasonable costs of the
  transportation as provided by this subsection. On application to
  the attorney general, the commissioners court may be reimbursed
  from the compensation to victims of crime fund if the physician
  performing the autopsy determines the death was caused by unlawful
  means. On application to the attorney representing the state or the
  head of a law enforcement agency, a commissioners court may be
  reimbursed from civil asset forfeiture proceeds as provided by
  Article 59.06(t), regardless of the circumstances of the death.
  The commissioners court may not be reimbursed from more than one
  source under this subsection.
         SECTION 2.  Article 56.54(k), Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (k)  The attorney general may use the compensation to victims
  of crime fund to:
               (1)  reimburse a law enforcement agency for the
  reasonable costs of a forensic medical examination that are
  incurred by the agency under Article 56.06 or 56.065; [and]
               (2)  make a payment to or on behalf of an individual for
  the reasonable costs incurred for medical care provided under
  Article 56.06 or 56.065 in accordance with Section 323.004, Health
  and Safety Code; and
               (3)  as provided by Article 49.10, reimburse a
  commissioners court for the reasonable cost of transporting a body
  for the purpose of an autopsy.
         SECTION 3.  Article 59.06, Code of Criminal Procedure, is
  amended by adding Subsection (t) to read as follows:
         (t)  As a specific exception to Subsection (c) that the funds
  described by that subsection be used only for the official purposes
  of the attorney representing the state or for law enforcement
  purposes, the attorney representing the state or the head of a law
  enforcement agency, as applicable, may use any portion of the gross
  amount credited to the attorney's or agency's special fund under
  Subsection (c) to reimburse a commissioners court for the
  reasonable cost of transporting a body for the purpose of an
  autopsy.
         SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2019.
feedback