Board briefs members on rulemaking, July fee increase and new state law on desecration of burial sites

The Tennessee Board of Funeral Directors used its April 14 meeting to update members on two administrative matters that will affect licensees.

Executive Director Mr. Gribble told the board he is tracking multiple bills and reported that House Bill 1731 and Senate Bill 1841 — enacted as Public Chapter 626 — has passed and is scheduled to take effect July 1. "The public chapter has to do with a new definition for desecration of a body," he said, summarizing that the measure criminalizes removing objects from a place of burial by persons other than specified family members or authorized representatives.

Regulatory counsel told members that fee-rule changes have completed the rulemaking steps and are scheduled to take effect July 1. Counsel and the executive director emphasized timing for renewals: licensees whose renewal windows open May 2 (for licenses expiring June 30) or in early June (for those expiring July 31) can renew under the old fee schedule if they complete renewals and payments within the opening window; otherwise the new fee schedule will apply.

Counsel described the final rulemaking as an expedited internal process and said government‑operations review is the last routine step. The board discussed outreach to licensees so that continuing-education and payment timing decisions can be made to avoid higher fees.

Board staff also reported licensing and complaint volumes and reminded licensees not to share certain Department of Health email addresses intended for funeral-director use only for death-certificate amendments.