Substitute House Bill 168 Summary

• Modifies Division of Real Estate duties regarding cemetery registration, establishing the Cemetery Grant Program funded with $100,000 for FY 2018 to support exceptional cemetery maintenance and personnel training

• Requires cemetery owners to provide reasonable maintenance based on cemetery size, type, financial resources, and contractual obligations, with specific factors for determining compliance

• Establishes new Sec. 4767.09 requiring cemeteries to maintain electronic or paper records of interment rights and burial information, and creates Sec. 4767.10 Cemetery Grant Fund using burial permit fees

• Allows Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors to conduct license suspension votes by telephone conference call rather than requiring in-person meetings

• Creates Sec. 4767.11 authorizing Division of Real Estate to seek appointment of temporary receiver for abandoned cemeteries, with receiver compensation limited to trust income only