Kristin Tips is no longer serving as presiding officer of the Texas Funeral Service Commission, marking the latest development in months-long controversy surrounding the troubled state agency.
Gov. Greg Abbott's office confirmed her departure in a statement to KERA News, but did not clarify whether Tips resigned or was removed. The news was first reported by the Houston Chronicle.
“Governor Abbott appreciates Kristin Tips’ service,” said Abbott spokesperson Andrew Mahaleris. “An announcement on a replacement will be made at a later date.”
Tips, a San Antonio funeral executive who has led Mission Park Funeral Chapels alongside her husband, was first appointed to the commission in 2017 and named chair in May 2024.
Her exit comes as the agency faces mounting scrutiny over internal turmoil, legal battles and allegations of misconduct.
The agency — which regulates funeral homes, crematories and body donation programs in Texas — made headlines in 2025 when commissioners fired executive director Scott Bingaman less than a year into his tenure. Before his termination, Bingaman accused Tips of using agency resources to benefit her private business interests and engaging in improper lobbying tied to proposed legislation.
Tips and other commissioners denied those claims and countered in in legal filings, “Bingaman misappropriated funds, undermined the statutory functions of the Commission, and violated public trust,” the Chronicle reported. His lawsuit against the commission is ongoing.
The turmoil came to light in 2025 when commissioners fired executive director Scott Bingaman less than a year into his tenure. At the center of the controversy are allegations that Tips improperly blurred the line between her role as a regulator and her private business interests.
Before his termination, Bingaman accused Tips of using her position to benefit her private funeral business. Former staffers and Bingaman allege Tips advocated for multiple bills during the 2025 legislative session that could benefit funeral home operators, including proposals to cap damages in lawsuits against funeral homes.
In some cases, they claim she used agency staff and resources to support those efforts, something that could violate state law if proven.
One such proposal would have limited mental anguish damages in lawsuits against funeral service providers, a change critics say could reduce accountability for mistakes involving human remains.
Tips defended the measure in legislative testimony, arguing funeral professionals are "last responders" who face legal risks without the protections afforded to other professions.
Bingaman's lawsuit against the commission is ongoing and includes claims that commissioners violated the Texas Open Meetings Act and the state's Whistleblower Act when they fired him.
Tips and other commissioners have denied those allegations, arguing in legal filings that Bingaman mismanaged agency funds and undermined operations.
At least six employees, including senior attorneys, investigators and licensing staff, were dismissed in the months following Bingaman's termination. Some former staffers say they were targeted for raising ethical concerns or for supporting Bingaman.
Former employees described a growing backlog of licensing applications, delayed renewals and hundreds of unresolved complaints, raising concerns about the agency's ability to effectively oversee the funeral industry.
Legal experts say the question of whether her actions constitute illegal lobbying is far from clear-cut.
Texas law allows agency officials to testify on legislation, and industry experts often weigh in on policy affecting their field. But using state resources to influence legislation is prohibited, creating a gray area that has complicated efforts to determine whether any laws were broken.
"It would be very difficult to prove that the board chair was self-dealing," Southern Methodist University political science professor Cal Jillson told KERA News in September, saying that Texas regulatory boards are often composed of industry members whose expertise can overlap with personal financial interests
Additional firings followed, including senior staff and attorneys. Former employees and critics have also raised broader concerns about potential conflicts of interest and "regulatory capture," given that industry professionals like Tips are appointed to oversee the funeral sector they work in.
Beyond the internal disputes, the commission has also faced legal challenges tied to its regulatory actions.
In one high-profile case, the East Plano Islamic Center sued the agency after it issued a cease-and-desist order blocking the mosque from performing funeral services, alleging the move violated religious freedoms.
The mosque argues it does not operate as a funeral home but instead works with licensed providers to carry out Islamic burial rites. Since the cease-and-desist order, the group says multiple congregants were unable to receive traditional funeral services in accordance with their faith.
The commission has said the mosque was operating without the required state license. The case remains ongoing and has drawn broader attention to the agency's enforcement practices and authority.
Additionally, Tips faced scrutiny over text messages obtained by KERA News in August that Kristin Tips shared anti-Muslim media and disparaging graphics with Bingaman.
The texts, sent during a commission probe into the North Texas mosque, included a video claiming a Muslim development would breed "terrorists." The messages included photos of Muslim state Rep. Suleman Lalani, whom Tips blamed for the failure of a cemetery bill she supported.
Meanwhile, scrutiny has extended to Tips' own business. Mission Park Funeral Chapels has faced multiple lawsuits over the years, including a case in which a jury awarded $8 million to a family after a body went missing, and another in which a jury awarded more than $1 million after a woman's ashes were destroyed.
Bingaman's lawsuit alleges Tips did not disclose those legal issues while advocating for legislation that could limit financial liability for funeral homes.
Neither the commission's interim leadership nor newly named presiding officer Eric Opiela responded to requests for comment.
Emmanuel Rivas Valenzuela is KERA's breaking news reporter. Got a tip? Email Emmanuel at erivas@kera.org.
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