HBA-NRS H.B. 1737 77(R)BILL ANALYSIS Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 1737 By: Carter Urban Affairs 7/16/2001 Enrolled BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Prior to the 77th Legislature, a cemetery organization operating a cemetery in accordance with distance requirements was authorized to acquire land adjacent but not necessarily contiguous to the cemetery for cemetery purposes if additional land was required. The phrasing of adjacent, but not necessarily contiguous might have inhibited the completion of a transaction for the acquisition of land for use by cemeteries. House Bill 1737 allows for the acquisition of adjacent land that is, at the closest point, no more than 200 feet from an existing cemetery. 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. ANALYSIS House Bill 1737 amends the Health and Safety Code to authorize a cemetery organization operating a cemetery in accordance with the distance requirements prescribed for the location of a cemetery to acquire land adjacent to the cemetery for cemetery purposes. The bill requires that the closest points of the property to be acquired and the cemetery be no more than 200 feet apart. EFFECTIVE DATE May 21, 2001.