Hi folks,
I think you'll find this inspiring. All by herself, our dynamic Joyce Mitchell of the FCA of Utah got her state rep. to introduce a fantastic bill restoring the rights of families to care for their own dead. The legislature amended the law in 2006 at the behest of the industry, which fooled them about the law's effects, and the result was families lost this right.
Here's a link to the whole bill:
le.utah.gov/~2009/htmdoc/hbillhtm/hb0265.htm
Here's a link to FCA of Utah's web page calling for support:
utahfunerals.googlepages.com/home
And here are the highlights of the bill:
This bill:
- provides that, if a funeral service director is not retained, a designated agent or the next of kin of a decedent may sign and file the decedent's certificate of death;
- describes other rights and responsibilities of a designated agent or the next of kin of a decedent, when a funeral service director is not retained;
- requires the state registrar to post information on the state registrar's website providing instructions to a dispositioner for complying with the requirements of law relating to the dispositioner's responsibilities for:
. completing and filing a certificate of death; and
. possessing, transporting, and disposing of a dead body or dead fetus;
- provides that the Utah Vital Statistics Act shall be construed to avoid interference, to the fullest extent possible, with the ceremonies, customs, rites, or beliefs of the decedent and the decedent's next of kin for disposing of a dead body or dead fetus;
-provides civil immunity to a person or institution who, in good faith, releases a dead body or dead fetus to a funeral service director or a dispositioner
Josh Slocum
Favoured: 0
