Certain officials must prepare and file death-related abstracts with the voter registrar and secretary of state, and the secretary of state may waive the electronic-filing requirement.
Sec. 16.001. DEATH. (a) Each month the local registrar of deaths shall prepare an abstract of each death certificate issued in the month for a decedent 18 years of age or older who was a resident of the state at the time of death. The local registrar of deaths shall file each abstract with the voter registrar of the decedent's county of residence and the secretary of state as soon as possible, but not later than the seventh day after the date the abstract is prepared. (b) Each month the clerk of each court having probate jurisdiction shall prepare an abstract of each application for probate of a will, administration of a decedent's estate, or determination of heirship, and each affidavit under Chapter 205, Estates Code, that is filed in the month with a court served by the clerk. The clerk shall file each abstract with the voter registrar and the secretary of state as soon as possible, but not later than the seventh day after the date the abstract is prepared. (c) Once each week, on a day specified by the secretary of state, the vital statistics unit shall furnish to the secretary of state available information relating to deceased residents of the state as provided by Section 191.011, Health and Safety Code, in the form and manner specified by the secretary. Periodically, the secretary shall furnish to the appropriate voter registrars information obtained from the unit that will assist in identifying the deceased registered voters of each county. (d) The secretary of state shall quarterly obtain from the United States Social Security Administration available information specified by the secretary relating to deceased residents of the state. (e) The information required to be filed with the secretary of state under this section must be filed electronically. The secretary of state may waive this requirement on application for a waiver submitted by the appropriate entity. Acts 1985, 69th Leg., ch. 211, Sec. 1, eff. Jan. 1, 1986. Amended by: Acts 2005, 79th Leg., Ch. 1105 (H.B. 2280), Sec. 4, eff. January 1, 2006. Acts 2007, 80th Leg., R.S., Ch. 607 (H.B. 343), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2007. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 650 (S.B. 1046), Sec. 1, eff. June 17, 2011. Acts 2011, 82nd Leg., R.S., Ch. 683 (H.B. 174), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2011. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 161 (S.B. 1093), Sec. 5.003, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2013, 83rd Leg., R.S., Ch. 1178 (S.B. 910), Sec. 4, eff. September 1, 2013. Acts 2017, 85th Leg., R.S., Ch. 324 (S.B. 1488), Sec. 22.012, eff. September 1, 2017. Acts 2021, 87th Leg., R.S., Ch. 241 (H.B. 1264), Sec. 1, eff. September 1, 2021. Acts 2023, 88th Leg., R.S., Ch. 1074 (S.B. 545), Sec. 3, eff. September 1, 2023.