Relating to the establishment of the office of medical examiner in certain counties.

HB 5131 requires Texas counties with over 2.5 million residents (based on the latest federal census) to establish a medical examiner office by September 1, 2025. It allows counties with fewer than 1 million residents to voluntarily create such an office. The bill also enables any two or more counties to form a joint medical examiner district covering contiguous areas, regardless of population size. This law standardizes medical examiner services in larger counties while providing collaboration options for smaller jurisdictions.