Assigned to FICO                                                                                                                    FOR COMMITTEE

ARIZONA STATE SENATE

Fifty-Sixth Legislature, Second Regular Session

FACT SHEET FOR H.B. 2081

cremation.

Purpose

Adds natural organic reduction as a statutorily allowed method of cremation and modifies the definitions of cremation, cremated remains and processed cremated remains.

Background

The Department of Health Services (DHS) and the DHS Funeral Services Licensing Advisory Committee oversee the funeral services industry following the 2023 termination of the State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. DHS enforces funeral service regulations, collects regulatory fees and administers licensure and registration of funeral establishments and professionals (A.R.S Title 32, Chapter 12).

Cremation is the heating process that reduces human remains to bone fragments by combustion and evaporation. Cremated remains are the bone fragments remaining after cremation. Processed cremated remains are cremated remains after they are pulverized and cleaned. DHS may take disciplinary action against a crematory or a crematory agent or employee (crematory) if the crematory introduces an additional dead human body or cremated remains into a cremation chamber or processor before reasonable efforts have been made to remove all fragments of the previously cremated or processed remains without written consent (A.R.S. §§ 32-1301 and
32-1398).

There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the state General Fund associated with this legislation.

Provisions

1. Defines natural organic reduction as the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil.

2. Expands the definition of cremation to include the reduction of human remains to soil by natural organic reduction.

3. Requires a crematory to make a reasonable effort to remove all soil remaining in a cremation chamber or processor after a cremation or processing before introducing an additional dead human body or cremated remains into the cremation chamber or processor.

4. Modifies the definition of cremated remains to include soil remaining after cremation.

5. Modifies the definition of processed cremated remains to include soil remaining after the pulverization and cleaning of cremated remains.

6. Makes technical and conforming changes.

7. Becomes effective on the general effective date.

House Action

RA                   1/17/24      DP             6-0-0-0

3^rd Read           2/6/24                          47-8-2-0-3

Prepared by Senate Research

February 22, 2024

MG/JC/cs