{"data":{"id":"us-tx/tex.-health-and-safety-code-193.010","jurisdiction":"us-tx","citation":"Tex. Health and Safety Code § 193.010","heading":"CERTIFICATE OF DEATH BY CATASTROPHE.","body":"(a) In this section, \"catastrophe\" means the occurrence of a substantial force that causes widespread or severe damage, injury, or loss of life or property and from which it is not reasonable to assume that a person could survive, including:\n(1) flood, earthquake, tornado, or other natural disaster;\n(2) explosion, fire, or destruction of a building;\n(3) the crash of a motor vehicle, train, or airplane involving more than one person; or\n(4) the overtaking of more than one person by fire, water, earth, or other substance.\n(b) A local registrar shall issue and file a certificate of death by catastrophe for a person if:\n(1) an affidavit is submitted to the registrar stating that:\n(A) the person was last reasonably believed to be at the scene of a catastrophe;\n(B) at least 10 days have passed since the day of the catastrophe;\n(C) a diligent search has been made by a governmental authority and the authority has concluded the search for the person;\n(D) the catastrophe was not intentionally caused by the person; and\n(E) the affiant:\n(i) does not know whether the person is alive or dead;\n(ii) has not received any information about the person's status since the catastrophe and, barring the person's death, would have received information about the person's status;\n(iii) is not aware of any custody or guardianship issues involving the person, if the person is a minor or a person for whom a guardian has been appointed; and\n(iv) is not aware of any reasonable motive for the person to disappear or for another person to abduct the person; and\n(2) a written statement signed by an agent of the governmental authority that conducts a search under Subdivision (1)(C) is submitted to the registrar stating that the governmental authority conducted and concluded a search for the person.\n(c) The department may issue a certificate of death by catastrophe for a minor or a person for whom a guardian has been appointed who is the subject of a custody or guardianship dispute only if all parties to the dispute submit an affidavit under Subsection (b).\n(d) An insurer shall accept as proof of death of an insured a certificate of death by catastrophe issued under this section.\nAdded by Acts 2003, 78th Leg., ch. 1098, Sec. 1, eff. Sept. 1, 2003.","path":["HEALTH AND SAFETY CODE","TITLE 3. VITAL STATISTICS","CHAPTER 193. DEATH RECORDS"],"source_url":"https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/HS/htm/HS.193.htm#193.010","current_through":"89th 2nd Called Legislative Session, 2025","vintage":"","retrieved_at":"2026-08-27T01:47:17Z","sha256":"c8a0285a94a0a453f4dd660675e0d3e34645a8600940fa60f1f47ca0c1a6520a","source_id":"us-tx","stale":false,"prev":"us-tx/tex.-health-and-safety-code-193.009","next":"us-tx/tex.-health-and-safety-code-193.011"},"notice":"GroundRules: Original legal text. Not legal advice."}