HOUSE BILL REPORT

                  HB 2271

                    As Passed Legislature

Title:  An act relating to funeral director and embalmer disciplinary procedures.

Brief Description:  Providing for funeral director and embalmer disciplinary procedures.

Sponsors:  Representatives Springer and Chandler; by request of Department of Licensing.

Brief History:

  Reported by House Committee on:

Health Care, February 1, 1994, DP;

Passed House, February 8, 1994, 93-0;

  Passed Legislature.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON HEALTH CARE

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 16 members:  Representatives Dellwo, Chair; L. Johnson, Vice Chair; Dyer, Ranking Minority Member; Ballasiotes, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Appelwick; Backlund; Conway; Cooke; Flemming; R. Johnson; Lemmon; Lisk; Mastin; Morris; Thibaudeau and Veloria.

Staff:  John Welsh (786-7133).

Background:  The regulation of funeral directors and embalmers by the Department of Licensing currently encompasses the disciplinary provisions of the Uniform Disciplinary Act governing the health professions.

However, the funeral and embalmer regulatory program was not among the health-related regulatory programs transferred from the Department of Licensing to the Department of Health when the latter was created in 1989, because the funeral profession is not considered a health-related profession.  However, the funeral profession is still governed by the health-related disciplinary law.

Summary of Bill:  New disciplinary procedures and sanctions for unprofessional conduct are provided for funeral directors and embalmers that parallel the disciplinary provisions of the Uniform Disciplinary Act with several exceptions.

The new provisions remove references to health-related terminology and do not include the process for the voluntary substance abuse monitoring program.  The requirement of the disciplinary authority to notify the media upon a notification of charges against a health professional is deferred until after an order has been issued by the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers about a violation of professional conduct.

Fiscal Note:  Requested January 14, 1994.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  This bill, requested by the Department of Licensing, will give the funeral profession an appropriate disciplinary process.

Testimony Against:  None.

Witnesses:  James Noel, Washington State Funeral Directors Association (pro); and Jon Donnellan, Department of Licensing (pro).