Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Tennessee funeral board issues fines, warnings and a 12‑month suspension after multiple complaints
Summary
At its May 13 meeting the Tennessee Funeral Directors and Embalmers board approved penalty orders ranging from letters of warning to civil fines, and suspended a licensee for 12 months after new information about misconduct involving a decedent in a work vehicle. The board also approved three establishment applications.
The Tennessee Funeral Directors and Embalmers board on May 13 voted on a series of disciplinary matters stemming from routine inspections and complaints, approving civil penalties, letters of warning and a 12‑month suspension for a licensee after updated information about misconduct.
Mister Bryant, board legal counsel, presented the legal report and recommended outcomes for each matter, and the board voted on each recommendation and several adjustments. The board approved fines ranging from $250 to $2,000, issued multiple letters of warning, closed several complaints after respondents corrected or remedied issues, and approved three new establishment applications.
Why it matters: The decisions affect how funeral establishments and licensed funeral directors and embalmers must track license expirations, document cremation and disposition paperwork, and maintain a licensed manager for an establishment. Several cases turned on whether employees or managers continued to perform licensed activities after a license expired and on whether paperwork (such as cremation authorization forms) met statutory requirements.
Most consequential action
The board revisited a previously decided matter after new information was submitted about a licensee who, while working in a funeral vehicle, was involved in conduct that led to criminal charges and to questions about the care of a decedent placed in that vehicle. After discussion, the board amended its prior disciplinary determination and voted unanimously to retain the previously assessed $2,000 in civil penalties (a $1,000 assessment on each of two licenses) and to suspend the licensee’s funeral director and embalmer licenses for 12 months. The suspension order requires the licensee to provide proof of five hours of in‑person continuing education in ethics, and to show that any criminal‑court obligations related to the incident have been satisfied before the board will consider reinstatement.
Randy Nash, a board member, argued for stronger action: “I don’t think a civil penalty is something that is…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
