Committee hears cleanup bill for Colorado death‑care industry; sponsors to refine amendments

Lawmakers reviewed a substantive cleanup bill for Colorado’s newly regulated death‑care industry and agreed to lay the measure over so sponsors can finalize amendments.

Representative Soper, presenting the measure, said the bill grew out of recent scandals and follow‑up legislation that established licensure of funeral professionals in 2024 and 2025. The cleanup bill would create an affiliate/associate license for students in accredited mortuary science programs, define ‘‘body broker’’ and ‘‘affiliate location,’’ allow registered designees to oversee multiple locations under common ownership, and consolidate establishment licensing into a single funeral‑establishment category.

‘‘We passed three bills in 2024…this year’s bill does a couple of key things to ensure the funeral, or death care industry is able to continue,’’ Soper said, describing changes meant to help small, family‑owned establishments while strengthening enforcement tools.

Faith Haug, program director of mortuary science at Arapahoe Community College, testified the bill would require body brokers to maintain a physical location subject to inspection and would formalize associate licenses so students can work under supervision while completing required experience. Javen Jones of the Colorado Funeral Directors Association said the association has participated in drafting and supports the direction of the legislation but has taken an amendment position on some technical language.

Sponsors said they are working with prosecutors and DORA staff to refine language about transport, refrigeration, cremationist oversight and abuse‑of‑corpse wording; the committee agreed to lay the bill over to allow those amendments to be filed and reviewed.

The bill remains under committee consideration pending final amendment language and further stakeholder review.