Bill Text: TX HB799 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Enrolled
Bill Title: Relating to the persons authorized to conduct an inquest in certain counties.
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-2)
Status: (Passed) 2017-05-23 - Effective on 9/1/17 [HB799 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HB799-Enrolled.html
| H.B. No. 799 | ||
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| relating to the persons authorized to conduct an inquest in certain | ||
| counties. | ||
| BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. The heading to Subchapter C, Chapter 27, | ||
| Government Code, is amended to read as follows: | ||
| SUBCHAPTER C. CONDUCTING COURT AND INQUESTS | ||
| SECTION 2. Subchapter C, Chapter 27, Government Code, is | ||
| amended by adding Section 27.0545 to read as follows: | ||
| Sec. 27.0545. EXCHANGE OF BENCHES: INQUESTS. (a) If a | ||
| justice of the peace or the county judge of a county to which | ||
| Subchapter A, Chapter 49, Code of Criminal Procedure, applies is | ||
| not available to conduct an inquest into a person's death occurring | ||
| in the county, the justice of the peace of the precinct in which the | ||
| death occurred or the county judge may request a justice of the | ||
| peace of another county to which that subchapter applies to conduct | ||
| the inquest. | ||
| (b) A justice of the peace who on request conducts an | ||
| inquest under this section shall, not later than the fifth day after | ||
| the date the inquest is initiated, transfer all information related | ||
| to the inquest to the justice of the peace of the precinct in which | ||
| the death occurred for final disposition of the matter. | ||
| (c) A justice of the peace who conducts an inquest under | ||
| this section is not entitled to receive from the commissioners | ||
| court of the county in which the death occurred any compensation, | ||
| other than mileage, for conducting the inquest. | ||
| SECTION 3. Article 49.07(c), Code of Criminal Procedure, is | ||
| amended by adding Subdivision (3) to read as follows: | ||
| (3) If a justice of the peace or the county judge | ||
| serving the county in which the body or body part was found is not | ||
| available to conduct an inquest, a person required to give notice | ||
| under this article may ask the justice of the peace of the precinct | ||
| in which the body or body part was found or the county judge to | ||
| request a justice of the peace of another county to which this | ||
| subchapter applies to conduct the inquest. The justice of the peace | ||
| that conducts the inquest shall, not later than the fifth day after | ||
| the date the inquest is initiated, transfer all information related | ||
| to the inquest to the justice of the peace of the precinct in which | ||
| the body or body part was found for final disposition of the matter. | ||
| All expenses related to the inquest must be paid as provided by this | ||
| chapter. | ||
| SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017. | ||
| ______________________________ | ______________________________ | |
| President of the Senate | Speaker of the House | |
| I certify that H.B. No. 799 was passed by the House on March | ||
| 15, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 148, Nays 0, 1 present, not | ||
| voting. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Chief Clerk of the House | ||
| I certify that H.B. No. 799 was passed by the Senate on May | ||
| 11, 2017, by the following vote: Yeas 31, Nays 0. | ||
| ______________________________ | ||
| Secretary of the Senate | ||
| APPROVED: _____________________ | ||
| Date | ||
| _____________________ | ||
| Governor | ||
