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Committee advances bill loosening ownership rule for funeral‑home refrigeration
Summary
The committee passed SB 398 to require multi‑location funeral establishments to maintain or have access to at least one refrigeration unit rather than own cooling at every site; sponsors say the change reduces an unnecessary burden while preserving oversight and professional rules.
The Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee approved SB 398, a bill that relaxes an ownership requirement for refrigeration at multi‑location funeral establishments and instead requires that such enterprises maintain at least one refrigeration unit or have access to refrigeration within a time frame set by board rules.
The sponsor said the change responds to current practice in which single‑location facilities must have access to a cooler but multi‑location enterprises are required to own separate units at every site — a burdensome rule for operators who routinely rely on agreements with hospitals, crematories or other funeral homes for cooler space. The sponsor emphasized the bill does not change professional practice standards on embalming, storage or refrigeration procedures.
Senator Elliott asked whether the statute will allow the insurance department or relevant board to verify that "access" is adequate and to prevent past abuses (instances raised earlier in the record where bodies were improperly stored). The sponsor and committee noted that the insurance department has oversight authority and that separate criminal provisions would apply to wilful misconduct.
The committee moved the bill and approved it by voice vote.
