HB 1046 Summary

• Establishes definition and requirements for natural burial cemeteries in Indiana Code, including maintaining grounds in natural state, prohibiting herbicides and pesticides, and banning standing headstones and vaults.

• Requires natural remains to be unemballed with toxic materials and buried only in biodegradable, non-toxic clothing, shrouds, or caskets.

• Allows natural burial cemeteries to use centralized memorial structures and inconspicuous markers such as engraved flat stones, indigenous flora, or other discrete markers.

• Reduces initial perpetual care fund deposit requirement from $100,000 to $10,000 for natural burial cemeteries organized or having first burial after June 30, 2010.

• Requires the $10,000 deposit to be returned to the cemetery once the perpetual care fund balance reaches $20,000.