Session Law 2018-78: House Bill 529 - Funeral Service Amendments

• Shifts burden of proof to applicants for funeral service licenses to substantiate qualifications to the Board's satisfaction, and requires applicants to pass Entry-level examination administered by The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards rather than specific subject examinations.

• Requires funeral service supervisors to have at least five years of full-time experience in their field and allows the Board to set late fees (up to $50) for resident trainee work reports filed after the due date.

• Authorizes alkaline hydrolysis as a method for disposition of human remains and establishes licensing and regulatory requirements for hydrolysis facilities comparable to crematory requirements.

• Clarifies procedures for unclaimed and abandoned dead bodies, allowing funeral directors and the Commission of Anatomy to handle disposition, and permits simultaneous cremation of multiple fetuses or infants from the same mother and birth with authorization.

• Increases various licensing fees and reinspection fees; permits preneed funeral contracts to be cancelled under specific conditions when insurance policies have lapsed; and modifies public records exemptions for examination scores and Board investigative records.