88R2677 AJZ-D     By: Raymond H.B. No. 4883       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to reimbursing a commissioners court and certain   individuals for the reasonable costs 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 Subsections (h-1) and (h-2) 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 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(v), regardless of   the circumstances of the death.          (h-2)  On application to the attorney general and in   accordance with Chapter 56B, an individual who pays a fee to   transport a body from a place where an autopsy can be performed   under this article, including a family member of the deceased   victim, may be reimbursed from the compensation to victims of crime   fund for the reasonable costs of the transportation if the   physician performing the autopsy determines the death was caused by   unlawful means.          SECTION 2.  Article 56B.003(10), Code of Criminal Procedure,   is amended to read as follows:                (10)  "Pecuniary loss" means the amount of the expense   reasonably and necessarily incurred as a result of personal injury   or death for:                      (A)  medical, hospital, nursing, or psychiatric   care or counseling, or physical therapy;                      (B)  actual loss of past earnings and anticipated   loss of future earnings and necessary travel expenses because of:                            (i)  a disability resulting from the   personal injury;                            (ii)  the receipt of medically indicated   services related to the disability; or                            (iii)  participation in or attendance at   investigative, prosecutorial, or judicial processes or any   postconviction or postadjudication proceeding relating to   criminally injurious conduct;                      (C)  care of a child or dependent, including   specialized care for a child who is a victim;                      (D)  funeral and burial expenses, including:                            (i)  [,] for an immediate family member or a   household member of a deceased [the] victim, the necessary expenses   of traveling to and attending the funeral; and                            (ii)  the reasonable costs of transportation   of the body from a place where an autopsy can be performed if the   physician performing the autopsy determines the death was caused by   unlawful means;                      (E)  loss of support to a dependent, consistent   with Article 56B.057(b)(5);                      (F)  reasonable and necessary costs of cleaning   the crime scene;                      (G)  reasonable replacement costs for clothing,   bedding, or property of the victim seized as evidence or rendered   unusable as a result of the criminal investigation;                      (H)  reasonable and necessary costs for   relocation and housing rental assistance payments as provided by   Article 56B.106(c);                      (I)  for an immediate family member or a household   member of a deceased victim, bereavement leave of not more than 10   work days; and                      (J)  reasonable and necessary costs of traveling   to and from a place of execution to witness the execution, including   one night's lodging near the place where the execution is   conducted.          SECTION 3.  Article 59.06, Code of Criminal Procedure, is   amended by adding Subsection (v) to read as follows:          (v)  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 costs of transporting a body for the purpose of an   autopsy.          SECTION 4.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.