BILL REQ. #: S-0972.1

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SENATE BILL 5481
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State of Washington

61st Legislature

2009 Regular Session

By Senators Marr, Becker, Hobbs, Haugen, Franklin, Parlette, Eide, Rockefeller, Hatfield, Jarrett, Jacobsen, Kilmer, Berkey, Tom, Swecker, King, Kastama, Shin, McDermott, Prentice, Fairley, Holmquist, Brandland, McCaslin, Ranker, McAuliffe, Roach, Honeyford, and Kauffman

Read first time 01/23/09. Referred to Committee on Government Operations & Elections.

AN ACT Relating to veterans' burials; and amending RCW 68.50.230.

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

Sec. 1   RCW 68.50.230 and 2005 c 365 s 146 are each amended to read as follows:
     (1) Whenever any human remains shall have been in the lawful possession of any person, firm, corporation, or association for a period of ninety days or more, and the relatives of, or persons interested in, the deceased person shall fail, neglect, or refuse to direct the disposition, the human remains may be disposed of by the person, firm, corporation, or association having such lawful possession thereof, under and in accordance with rules adopted by the cemetery board and the board of funeral directors and embalmers, not inconsistent with any statute of the state of Washington or rule adopted by the state board of health.
     (2) If the department of veterans affairs certifies that the deceased person was a veteran or the dependent of a veteran eligible for interment at a federal or state veterans' cemetery, the person, firm, corporation, or association in possession of the veteran's or dependent's remains shall transfer the remains to the department of veterans affairs. There shall be no liability of the person, firm, corporation, or association transferring the veteran's or dependent's remains to the department of veterans affairs according to the provisions of this section. There shall be no liability of the state of Washington or any of its employees or agents related to the transfer of the veteran's or dependent's remains to the department of veterans affairs.

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