Committee advances bill to remove 'date of disposition' from death certificates, sponsor cites burial delays
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Summary
Representative Albright told the committee HB 289 would remove the required 'date of disposition' field from death certificates because the current requirement can delay cremations and burials and delay benefits; the committee gave the bill a favorable report (announced as 9 yes, 1 no, 1 abstain).
Representative Albright told the committee HB 289 would remove the required field "date of disposition" from death certificates, arguing that making it mandatory causes delays in cremations and burials that, in turn, delay access to benefits for families. “HB 289 proposes the removal of date of disposition off of a death certificate,” Albright said, adding that the field’s requirement “causes delays ... especially in cremations and extreme circumstances.”
Albright gave a concrete example: a soldier from Marshall County who could not be buried at Arlington because the state could not issue a death certificate before the disposition occurred. Committee members asked for clarification about which certificate fields would remain required; Albright confirmed date of death, manner of death, time and location of death remain required, while the date of disposition would be removed.
The committee took a roll call and the chair announced the bill was given a favorable report, recorded in the transcript as 9 yes, 1 no, and 1 abstain. The transcript contains no fiscal analysis or implementation timeline for changing vital-records processes.
