Brief Description: Requiring disclosures for single burial use of multiple interment space.

Sponsors: Senate Committee on Labor, Commerce, Research & Development (originally sponsored by Senators Franklin and Sheldon).

Hearing Date: 3/17/05

Staff: Rebekah Ward (786-7106).

Background:

There are approximately 147 cemeteries licensed and regulated through the Department of Licensing and the State Cemetery Board. The State Cemetery Board does not, however, have jurisdiction over city, town, county, or private religious cemeteries. There is no estimate available of the number of private cemeteries there are throughout the state.

In the sale of burial space, multiple burial space sales, whereby more than one casket may be buried in layers in the same burial plot, are common in cemetery agreements. However, there is no statutory requirement for disclosure in written sale agreements of sales of multiple grave spaces in the same burial plot; cemetery sales persons typically make these types of disclosures orally.

Summary of Bill:

Cemeteries are required to disclose to the customer making the cemetery arrangements a written statement indicating all the property, merchandise, and services the customer is purchasing. If offering single burial use of a multiple interment space, cemeteries must also disclose on the statement the definition of multiple internment.
"Multiple interment" means two or more human remains are buried in the ground, in outer burial enclosures or chambers, placed one on top of another, with a ground surface the same size as a single grave or right of interment.

Rules Authority:    The bill contains no provisions requiring regarding agency rulemaking.

Appropriation: None.

Fiscal Note: Not requested.

Effective Date: The bill takes effect 90 days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.