The bill amends the Health and Safety Code to clarify the authority of certain individuals to donate unclaimed bodies or those required to be buried at public expense for the advancement of medical or forensic science. It modifies Section 691.023(a) by removing the requirement for the commission or its representative to allow a designated physician to remove the body for such purposes. Instead, it emphasizes the need for notification and delivery of the body in accordance with the commission's direction.

Additionally, the bill introduces a new section, 691.0235, which outlines the conditions under which a body can be donated to specific entities, such as medical or dental schools and anatomical donation organizations. It specifies that a decedent's body may be donated through a will or written instrument and allows individuals who can lawfully claim a body for burial to provide informed consent for the donation. The commission is tasked with adopting necessary rules to implement these provisions. The act is set to take effect on September 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Health and Safety Code 691.023 (Health and Safety Code 691)