County Served By Justice of the Peace: Notice and Report of Death Occurring In Institution

Art. 49A.151. COUNTY SERVED BY JUSTICE OF THE PEACE: NOTICE AND REPORT OF DEATH OCCURRING IN INSTITUTION. (a) For the purposes of this article, "institution" does not include a hospital. (b) A superintendent or general manager of an institution who is required by Article 49A.053 to report to a justice of the peace the death of a person under the care, custody, or control of or residing in the institution shall: (1) within 24 hours after the death of a person, notify the office of the attorney general of the person's death; and (2) within 72 hours after the death of a person, prepare and submit to the office of the attorney general a report containing all facts relevant to the person's death. (c) The superintendent or general manager shall make a good faith effort to obtain all facts relevant to a person's death and to include those facts in the report submitted under Subsection (b)(2). (d) The office of the attorney general may investigate each death reported to the office by an institution that receives payments through the medical assistance program under Chapter 32, Human Resources Code. (e) Subject to Subsection (f), the office of the attorney general shall make a report submitted under Subsection (b)(2) available to any interested person who submits a written request for access to the report. (f) The office of the attorney general may deny a person access to the report or part of the report if the office determines that the report or part of the report is: (1) privileged from discovery; or (2) exempt from required public disclosure under Chapter 552, Government Code. Added by Acts 2025, 89th Leg., R.S., Ch. 202 (H.B. 1610), Sec. 1.01, eff. April 1, 2027. Text of article effective on April 01, 2027