2014 -- S 2287 SUBSTITUTE A

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - FUNERAL SERVICE

ESTABLISHMENTS

     

     Introduced By: Senator Roger Picard

     Date Introduced: February 04, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 5-33.2-24 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-33.2 entitled "Funeral

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Director/Embalmer Funeral Service Establishments" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     5-33.2-24. Proper authority for funeral arrangements and disposition of human

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remains. -- Every licensed funeral director/embalmer, licensed funeral establishment, licensed

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crematory, and cemetery shall comply with the following rules with respect to proper authority

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for funeral arrangements and disposition of human remains:

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      (1) If a licensed funeral establishment is a party to a funeral services contract, as defined

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in section ยง5-33.1-2, for the benefit of a deceased person, only when executed by the principal,

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him or herself, and the contract is still in effect at the time of that person's death, the terms of that

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contract shall control the nature of the funeral goods and services to be provided, the manner in

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which funeral services are to be conducted for the deceased, and the final disposition of the

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deceased person's remains to the full extent provided in that contract. When the contract is

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executed by the principal, him or herself, and specifies cremation as the chosen disposition, the

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contract is considered sufficient legal authorization for cremation. No licensed funeral

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establishment, licensed crematory, or cemetery, nor any of its agents or employees, may cancel or

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materially alter any of the arrangements specified in that contract, even if requested to do so by a

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member of the deceased person's family or a funeral planning agent designated pursuant to

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chapter 33.3 of this title unless compliance with the terms of the original contract would result in

 

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a violation of any applicable federal, state, or local law or regulation, notwithstanding the

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provisions of this chapter.

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      (2) To the extent that there is no funeral services contract in effect at the time of death

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for the benefit of the deceased person, indicating the wishes of the deceased person with respect

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to the nature of the funeral goods and services to be provided, the manner in which funeral

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services are to be conducted, or the final disposition of the deceased person's remains, then the

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funeral establishment and its agents or employees shall follow the directions of the deceased

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person's survivors, in the following order of priority:

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      (i) An agent designated pursuant to chapter 33.3 of this title, if any;

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      (ii) The surviving spouse or domestic partner of the deceased;

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      (iii) The surviving adult children of the deceased;

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      (iv) The surviving parent(s) of the deceased over the age of eighteen (18), or, if the

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deceased is a minor, and there is a custody order relative to that child, the custodial parent, after

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he or she signs an affidavit attesting that he or she does not know the whereabouts of the other

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parent;

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      (v) The surviving brother(s) or sister(s) of the deceased;

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      (vi) The surviving adult grandchildren of the deceased;

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      (vii) The surviving adult niece(s) or nephew(s) of the deceased;

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      (viii) The guardian of the person of the deceased at the time of his or her death.

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      (3) All licensed funeral directors/embalmers, licensed funeral establishments, licensed

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crematories, cemeteries, and all their agents and employees shall be held harmless, and shall not

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be subject to civil suit, either as individual(s), partnership(s), or corporation(s) for complying with

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the provisions of this chapter.

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      (4) For the purpose of this chapter, "domestic partner" shall be defined as a person who,

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prior to the decedent's death, was in an exclusive, intimate, and committed relationship with the

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decedent, and who certifies by affidavit that their relationship met the following qualifications:

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      (i) Both partners were at least eighteen (18) years of age and were mentally competent to

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contract;

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      (ii) Neither partner is married to anyone else;

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      (iii) Partners were not related by blood to a degree which would prohibit marriage in the

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state of Rhode Island;

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      (iv) Partners resided together and had resided together for at least one year at the time of

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death; and

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      (v) Partners were financially interdependent as evidenced by at least two (2) of the

 

LC004104/SUB A/2 - Page 2 of 3

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following:

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      (A) Domestic partnership agreement or relationship contract;

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      (B) Joint mortgage or joint ownership of primary residence;

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      (C) Two (2) of the following:

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      (I) Joint ownership of motor vehicle;

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      (II) Joint checking account;

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      (III) Joint credit account;

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      (IV) Joint lease; and/or

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      (D) The domestic partner had been designated as a beneficiary for the decedent's will,

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retirement contract or life insurance.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS - FUNERAL SERVICE

ESTABLISHMENTS

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     This act would specify that the surviving parent(s) of a deceased person over the age of

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eighteen (18), or if a minor, would have the authority to make funeral arrangements for the

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deceased minor in the event that no agent, surviving spouse, domestic partner or surviving adult

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children are living at the time of death. In certain instances the parent would need to sign an

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affidavit regarding the whereabouts of the other parent.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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