HBA-TBM H.B. 2640 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 2640
By: Dutton
Business & Industry
4/6/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Under current law, funeral directors and embalmers are regulated by the
Texas Funeral Service Commission (commission).  A portion of the
commission's duties is to prevent discrimination in pricing of funeral
service costs, including services and merchandise.  To accomplish this
directive, the sale of caskets needs to be regulated.  House Bill 2640
prohibits the sale of a casket by a person other than a funeral director
who intends to perform funeral services for the deceased.   

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 2640 amends the Occupations Code to prohibit a person from
selling a casket to another person unless the seller is a funeral director
who intends to perform funeral directing for the human body for which the
buyer is purchasing the casket.   

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.