BILL REQ. #:  S-0150.1 

Read first time 01/12/09.   Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

     AN ACT Relating to the burial of pet remains; adding new sections to chapter 68.50 RCW; and adding a new section to chapter 68.04 RCW.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1   A new section is added to chapter 68.50 RCW to read as follows:
     (1) A cemetery authority must allow the burial of pet remains in the same cemetery in which the pet's owner is buried in either: (a) An established and operating area of the cemetery; or (b) a section of the cemetery designated solely for the commingling and burial of pet remains and human remains.
     (2) Pet remains, regardless of their location in a cemetery, must be contained within the same plot that an individual purchases or has purchased for their own burial.
     (3) The burial of pet remains will be authorized only when a cemetery authority has received written authorization from the pet owner expressing his or her intentions to be buried with his or her pet remains. An individual may provide written authorization under this subsection to the cemetery authority either at the time of purchasing a burial plot or after purchasing a burial plot, but in no case may the authorization be provided after the person is deceased.
     (4) Pet remains may be buried in the same plot of an individual's human remains prior to the burial of the person, at the same time as the burial of the person, or after the burial of the person.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2   A new section is added to chapter 68.50 RCW to read as follows:
     Any provisions applicable to human remains within this title and chapter 18.39 RCW are also applicable to pet remains.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 3   A new section is added to chapter 68.04 RCW to read as follows:
     "Pet remains" means the body of a deceased cat or dog, includes the body in any stage of decomposition, and includes cremated remains.