SB 777, SB 861 and SB 344 among bills the bureau is monitoring; SB 777 advancing in Senate

The advisory committee heard an update on current legislation affecting cemetery and funeral regulation on May 28, including bills that would change local and state responsibilities for abandoned endowment-care cemeteries and clarify disclosure and scattering rules.

Elmer Generoso, the bureau's legislative analyst, summarized SB 777 (Richardson), saying in part, "This bill would require a local agency formation commission for the county in which an abandoned endowment care cemetery is located to identify a local agency to be responsible for the care, maintenance, and embellishment of the cemetery as specified." The summary said SB 777 would vest fee title with the identified local agency and require liquidation of prior endowment assets into a special fund for cemetery care.

Generoso also briefed the committee on SB 861 (Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development ' Consumer Affairs), an omnibus cleanup bill that would add hydrolysis facilities to Internet license-disclosure requirements, and on SB 344 (Pearson), which clarifies that scattering reduced or cremated remains from a dock attached to shore is not permitted.

A participant noted SB 777 had passed out of appropriations and was on third reading in the Senate at the time of the meeting. The bureau said it generally does not take policy positions except through the sunset review process but will provide technical assistance to legislators when requested.

Ending: The bureau said it will continue to monitor these bills and provide technical input as needed; the advisory committee did not take formal positions at the meeting.