Down from 2.5M. Smaller counties can still opt in, or team up.
The bill lowers the population line at which a Texas county must set up and run a medical examiner's office, from more than 2.5 million people to more than one million. It touches county commissioners courts in counties above one million, which now must create the office, while smaller counties keep the option to create one. It also makes clear that two or more counties of any size may join to form a shared medical examiners district, and it takes effect September 1, 2025.
Labels
Labels: CROSS-PARTY HANDOFF. Lead author Tan Parker (R) in the Senate. Lead sponsor Rafael Anchía (D) in the House. Party as the Legislative Reference Library lists it for the 89th Legislature.GOT HALFWAY. Passed the Senate on Apr 10, 2025. Died in the House: voted out of the Intergovernmental Affairs committee 10-0, no floor vote.
relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in
certain counties.
WHAT IT DOES
Down from 2.5M. Smaller counties can still opt in, or team up.
The bill lowers the population line at which a Texas county must set up and run a medical examiner's office, from more than 2.5 million people to more than one million. It touches county commissioners courts in counties above one million, which now must create the office, while smaller counties keep the option to create one. It also makes clear that two or more counties of any size may join to form a shared medical examiners district, and it takes effect September 1, 2025.
CHARGES
[ ] NONE FOUND
TOTAL
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated.
…“the commissioners court of any county with [ having ] a population of
more than one [ 2.5 ] million shall establish and maintain the office
of medical examiner”…
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records final passage. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 1370 (Parker, Huffman) Relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records suspension of the three-day rule. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Sources
SB 1370 (Parker, Huffman) Relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: 30 (published)
Nay: 0 (published)
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Names were not printed. No individual positions are inferred.
The journal row lists three votes in order: passage to engrossment, suspension of the three-day rule, and final passage. This entry records passage to engrossment. Repeated tallies belong to separate votes.
Voice vote. No numeric tally or individual yeas are inferred.
Sources
SB 1370 (Parker, Huffman) Relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties. (viva voce vote) (30-0) (30-0)
Published stock of positions for this vote, except where marked derived.
Yea: Not printed
Nay: Not printed
Present, not voting: Not printed
Absent: Not printed
Excused: Not printed
Senate journal. Source snapshot 2026-10-19, Central time.
Witnesses14
For
13
Against
0
On
1
Names
For
Dallas County Criminal District Attorney - John Creuzot1 registration
89R13986 LRM-D
By: Parker, Huffman
S.B. No. 1370
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in
certain counties.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 1, Article 49.25, Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 1. OFFICE REQUIRED IN CERTAIN COUNTIES AND AUTHORIZED
IN OTHER COUNTIES . Subject to the provisions of this article, the
commissioners court of any county with [ having ] a population of
more than one [ 2.5 ] million shall establish and maintain the office
of medical examiner, and the commissioners court of any county with
a population of less than one million may establish and provide for
the maintenance of the office of medical examiner. Population
shall be according to the last preceding federal census.
SECTION 2. Section 1-a(a), Article 49.25, Code of Criminal
Procedure, is amended to read as follows:
(a) The commissioners courts of two or more counties ,
regardless of population size, may enter into an agreement to
create a medical examiners district and to jointly operate and
maintain the office of medical examiner of the district. The
district must include the entire area of all counties
involved. The counties within the district must, when taken
together, form a continuous area.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.
Monitoring 
