Title 5
Businesses and Professions

Chapter 33.2
Funeral Director/Embalmer and Funeral Service Establishments

§ 5-33.2-17. Revocation or suspension of license.

(a) The division has the power to refuse to issue or may revoke or suspend any license issued by it under this chapter, after written notification and a hearing before the board for gross incompetency, for unprofessional conduct, which is defined to include:

(1) Conviction of a felony;

(2) Misrepresentations made of services, goods, or of funeral prices or fraud committed as a holder of a license for the practice of embalming, funeral directing, or the holder of a license as a funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch, or crematory;

(3) False or misleading advertising as the holder of a license for the practice of embalming, funeral directing, or the holder of a license as a funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch, or crematory; violating any regulations relating to “truth in advertising”; or failure to do the following:

(i) List only full-time employees or those having an ownership interest in the advertisements including his or her title, which clearly identifies one’s duties;

(ii) List the name of the funeral director of record for the establishment in all advertising;

(iii) A deceased founder may be listed in advertisements with the notation “founder” following the name;

(4) Solicitation of dead human bodies by any licensed embalmer, funeral director, funeral attendant, or the holder of license as a funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch or crematory, its agents, assistants, or employees, whether the solicitation occurs after death or while death is impending; provided, that this does not prohibit general advertising;

(5) Employment directly or indirectly of any intern, agent, assistant, employee, or other person, on part or full-time, or on commission, for the purpose of calling upon individuals or institutions by whose influence dead human bodies may be turned over to a particular funeral establishment;

(6) The direct or indirect payment or offer of payment of a commission by any funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch, or crematory, its agents, assistants, or employees for the purpose of securing business;

(7) Solicitation or acceptance by a licensed funeral director/embalmer, or the holder of a license as a funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch, or crematory, of any commission or bonus or rebate in consideration of recommending or causing a dead human body to be disposed of in any crematory, mausoleum, or cemetery;

(8) Using any funeral merchandise previously used in whole or in part without prior written permission of the person selecting and/or paying for the use of the merchandise;

(9) Violation of any of the provisions of this chapter;

(10) Violation of any state law or rule and regulation affecting the handling, custody, care, transportation, or final disposition of dead human bodies;

(11) Fraud or misrepresentation in obtaining or renewing a license;

(12) Refusing to properly release a dead human body to the custody of the person or entity who has the legal right to effect the release and authorized cost has been paid;

(13) Aiding or abetting an unlicensed person to practice funeral directing and embalming or holding oneself out as a licensed funeral director/embalmer;

(14) Failure to secure any required permit for removal or burial of dead human remains prior to interment or final disposition;

(15) Knowingly making any false statement on a certificate of death;

(16) Violation of chapter 33.1 of this title entitled “Funeral Service Contracts”;

(17) Discriminating in services because of race, creed, color, or national origin;

(18) Permitting non-funeral service licensees to make arrangements for a funeral prior to, or at, need unless exempted under chapter 33.1 of this title or a registered intern under the supervision of a licensee;

(19) Substantial or repeated violations of the rules and regulations of the Federal Trade Commission and/or the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or for other violations deemed sufficient; provided, that before any license is revoked or suspended, the license holder shall have notice, in writing, of the charge or charges against him or her and shall have reasonable opportunity to be heard in his or her defense.

(b) Any person whose certificate has been revoked or suspended may apply to have the certificate reissued, and the certificate shall be reissued to him or her upon a satisfactory showing that disqualification has ceased.