Texas Funeral Service Commission reports staffing, IT and donor-program changes and says state auditor is investigating former anatomical board funds

The Texas Funeral Service Commission on Dec. 17 told commissioners it has expanded staff, begun IT modernization and asked the State Auditor's Office to investigate potential financial irregularities tied to the transition of responsibilities from the State Anatomical Board.

"The Funeral Squad has achieved notable progress this quarter, advancing modernization efforts, strengthening regulatory oversight, and adapting to the evolving needs of our stakeholders," Executive Director Scott Bingaman said, summarizing the agency's work since the commission absorbed anatomical-board responsibilities in September. He said the agency has hired a deputy executive director and new legal and investigative staff and is developing a payments system that will direct funds to the Texas comptroller rather than to a third-party bank.

Why it matters: the agency now oversees functions formerly run by the State Anatomical Board, including collection and accounting of certain fees. Bingaman told the commission the agency found indications that the former board used an unapproved third-party payment processor and that some funds collected during the transition were…