| 1 | A bill to be entitled |
| 2 | An act relating to disposition of human remains; creating |
| 3 | pt. VII of ch. 497, F.S., consisting of ss. 497.701, |
| 4 | 497.703, 497.705, 497.707, 497.709, 497.711, 497.713, |
| 5 | 497.715, 497.717, 497.719, and 497.721, F.S.; amending s. |
| 6 | 497.005, F.S.; defining terms relating to the disposition |
| 7 | of human remains; transferring, renumbering, and amending |
| 8 | ss. 406.50, 406.51, 406.52, 406.53, 406.55, 406.56, |
| 9 | 406.57, 406.58, 406.59, 406.60, and 406.61, F.S.; revising |
| 10 | procedures for the reporting and disposition of unclaimed |
| 11 | remains; prohibiting certain uses or dispositions of the |
| 12 | remains of deceased persons whose identities are not |
| 13 | known; requiring that local governmental contracts for the |
| 14 | final disposition of unclaimed remains comply with certain |
| 15 | federal regulations; conforming provisions to changes in |
| 16 | terminology; conforming a cross-reference; revising |
| 17 | procedures for the anatomical board's retention of human |
| 18 | remains before their use; providing for claims by, and the |
| 19 | release of human remains to, legally authorized persons |
| 20 | after payment of certain expenses; authorizing county |
| 21 | ordinances or resolutions for the final disposition of the |
| 22 | unclaimed remains of indigent persons; limiting the |
| 23 | liability of certain licensed persons for cremating or |
| 24 | burying human remains under certain circumstances; |
| 25 | revising exceptions from requirements for notice to the |
| 26 | anatomical board of the death of indigent persons; |
| 27 | deleting a requirement that the Department of Health |
| 28 | assess fees for the burial of certain bodies; conforming |
| 29 | provisions to changes in terminology; conforming |
| 30 | terminology of provisions prohibiting the selling or |
| 31 | buying of human remains or the transmitting or conveying |
| 32 | of such remains outside the state; providing penalties; |
| 33 | conforming terminology relating to procedures for the |
| 34 | conveyance of plastinated human remains into or out of the |
| 35 | state; repealing s. 406.54, F.S., relating to claims of |
| 36 | bodies after delivery to the anatomical board; providing |
| 37 | an effective date. |
| 38 |
|
| 39 | Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 40 |
|
| 41 | Section 1. Part VII of chapter 497, Florida Statutes, |
| 42 | consisting of sections 497.701, 497.703, 497.705, 497.707, |
| 43 | 497.709, 497.711, 497.713, 497.715, 497.717, 497.719, and |
| 44 | 497.721, is created and entitled "UNCLAIMED HUMAN REMAINS; |
| 45 | ANATOMICAL BOARD." |
| 46 | Section 2. Section 497.005, Florida Statutes, is amended |
| 47 | to read: |
| 48 | 497.005 Definitions.-As used in this chapter, the term: |
| 49 | (1) "Alternative container" means an unfinished wood box |
| 50 | or other nonmetal receptacle or enclosure, without ornamentation |
| 51 | or a fixed interior lining, that is designed for the encasement |
| 52 | of human remains and that is made of fiberboard, pressed wood, |
| 53 | composition materials (with or without an outside covering), or |
| 54 | like materials. |
| 55 | (2) "Anatomical board" means the anatomical board of the |
| 56 | state headquartered at the University of Florida Health Science |
| 57 | Center. |
| 58 | (3)(2) "At-need solicitation" means any uninvited contact |
| 59 | by a licensee or her or his agent for the purpose of the sale of |
| 60 | burial services or merchandise to the family or next of kin of a |
| 61 | person after her or his death has occurred. |
| 62 | (4)(3) "Bank of belowground crypts" means any construction |
| 63 | unit of belowground crypts that is acceptable to the department |
| 64 | and that a cemetery uses to initiate its belowground crypt |
| 65 | program or to add to existing belowground crypt structures. |
| 66 | (5)(4) "Belowground crypts" consist of interment space in |
| 67 | preplaced chambers, either side by side or multiple depth, |
| 68 | covered by earth and sod and known also as "lawn crypts," |
| 69 | "westminsters," or "turf-top crypts." |
| 70 | (6)(5) "Board" means the Board of Funeral, Cemetery, and |
| 71 | Consumer Services. |
| 72 | (7)(6) "Burial merchandise," "funeral merchandise," or |
| 73 | "merchandise" means any personal property offered or sold by any |
| 74 | person for use in connection with the final disposition, |
| 75 | memorialization, interment, entombment, or inurnment of human |
| 76 | remains or cremated remains, including, but not limited to, |
| 77 | caskets, outer burial containers, alternative containers, |
| 78 | cremation containers, cremation interment containers, urns, |
| 79 | monuments, private mausoleums, flowers, benches, vases, |
| 80 | acknowledgment cards, register books, memory folders, prayer |
| 81 | cards, and clothing. |
| 82 | (8)(7) "Burial right" means the right to use a grave |
| 83 | space, mausoleum, columbarium, ossuary, or scattering garden for |
| 84 | the interment, entombment, inurnment, or other disposition of |
| 85 | human remains or cremated remains. |
| 86 | (9)(8) "Burial service" or "service" means any service |
| 87 | offered or provided in connection with the final disposition, |
| 88 | memorialization, interment, entombment, or inurnment of human |
| 89 | remains or cremated remains. |
| 90 | (10)(9) "Care and maintenance" means the perpetual process |
| 91 | of keeping a cemetery and its lots, graves, grounds, |
| 92 | landscaping, roads, paths, parking lots, fences, mausoleums, |
| 93 | columbaria, vaults, crypts, utilities, and other improvements, |
| 94 | structures, and embellishments in a well-cared-for and dignified |
| 95 | condition, so that the cemetery does not become a nuisance or |
| 96 | place of reproach and desolation in the community. As specified |
| 97 | in the rules of the licensing authority, "care and maintenance" |
| 98 | may include, but is not limited to, any or all of the following |
| 99 | activities: mowing the grass at reasonable intervals; raking and |
| 100 | cleaning the grave spaces and adjacent areas; pruning of shrubs |
| 101 | and trees; suppression of weeds and exotic flora; and |
| 102 | maintenance, upkeep, and repair of drains, water lines, roads, |
| 103 | buildings, and other improvements. "Care and maintenance" may |
| 104 | include, but is not limited to, reasonable overhead expenses |
| 105 | necessary for such purposes, including maintenance of machinery, |
| 106 | tools, and equipment used for such purposes. "Care and |
| 107 | maintenance" may also include repair or restoration of |
| 108 | improvements necessary or desirable as a result of wear, |
| 109 | deterioration, accident, damage, or destruction. "Care and |
| 110 | maintenance" does not include expenses for the construction and |
| 111 | development of new grave spaces or interment structures to be |
| 112 | sold to the public. |
| 113 | (11)(10) "Casket" means a rigid container that is designed |
| 114 | for the encasement of human remains and that is usually |
| 115 | constructed of wood or metal, ornamented, and lined with fabric. |
| 116 | (12)(11) "Cemetery" means a place dedicated to and used or |
| 117 | intended to be used for the permanent interment of human remains |
| 118 | or cremated remains. A cemetery may contain land or earth |
| 119 | interment; mausoleum, vault, or crypt interment; a columbarium, |
| 120 | ossuary, scattering garden, or other structure or place used or |
| 121 | intended to be used for the interment or disposition of cremated |
| 122 | remains; or any combination of one or more of such structures or |
| 123 | places. |
| 124 | (13)(12) "Cemetery company" means any legal entity that |
| 125 | owns or controls cemetery lands or property. |
| 126 | (14)(13) "Centralized embalming facility" means a facility |
| 127 | in which embalming takes place that operates independently of a |
| 128 | funeral establishment licensee and that offers embalming |
| 129 | services to funeral directors for a fee. |
| 130 | (15)(14) "Cinerator" means a facility where dead human |
| 131 | bodies are subjected to cremation. |
| 132 | (16)(15) "Closed container" means any container in which |
| 133 | cremated remains can be placed and closed in a manner so as to |
| 134 | prevent leakage or spillage of the remains. |
| 135 | (17)(16) "Columbarium" means a structure or building that |
| 136 | is substantially exposed above the ground and that is intended |
| 137 | to be used for the inurnment of cremated remains. |
| 138 | (18)(17) "Common business enterprise" means a group of two |
| 139 | or more business entities that share common ownership in excess |
| 140 | of 50 percent. |
| 141 | (19)(18) "Control" means the possession, directly or |
| 142 | indirectly, through the ownership of voting shares, by contract, |
| 143 | arrangement, understanding, relationship, or otherwise, of the |
| 144 | power to direct or cause the direction of the management and |
| 145 | policies of a person or entity. However, a person or entity |
| 146 | shall not be deemed to have control if the person or entity |
| 147 | holds voting shares, in good faith and not for the purpose of |
| 148 | circumventing this definition, as an agent, bank, broker, |
| 149 | nominee, custodian, or trustee for one or more beneficial owners |
| 150 | who do not individually or as a group have control. |
| 151 | (20)(19) "Cremated remains" means all the remains of the |
| 152 | human body recovered after the completion of the cremation |
| 153 | process, including processing or pulverization that leaves only |
| 154 | bone fragments reduced to unidentifiable dimensions and may |
| 155 | include the residue of any foreign matter, including casket |
| 156 | material, bridgework, or eyeglasses that were cremated with the |
| 157 | human remains. |
| 158 | (21)(20) "Cremation" means any mechanical or thermal |
| 159 | process whereby a dead human body is reduced to ashes and bone |
| 160 | fragments. Cremation also includes any other mechanical or |
| 161 | thermal process whereby human remains are pulverized, burned, |
| 162 | recremated, or otherwise further reduced in size or quantity. |
| 163 | (22)(21) "Cremation chamber" means the enclosed space |
| 164 | within which the cremation process takes place. Cremation |
| 165 | chambers covered by these procedures shall be used exclusively |
| 166 | for the cremation of human remains. |
| 167 | (23)(22) "Cremation container" means the casket or |
| 168 | alternative container in which the human remains are transported |
| 169 | to and placed in the cremation chamber for a cremation. A |
| 170 | cremation container should meet substantially all of the |
| 171 | following standards: |
| 172 | (a) Be composed of readily combustible or consumable |
| 173 | materials suitable for cremation. |
| 174 | (b) Be able to be closed in order to provide a complete |
| 175 | covering for the human remains. |
| 176 | (c) Be resistant to leakage or spillage. |
| 177 | (d) Be rigid enough to be handled with ease. |
| 178 | (e) Be able to provide protection for the health, safety, |
| 179 | and personal integrity of crematory personnel. |
| 180 | (24)(23) "Cremation interment container" means a rigid |
| 181 | outer container that, subject to a cemetery's rules and |
| 182 | regulations, is composed of concrete, steel, fiberglass, or some |
| 183 | similar material in which an urn is placed prior to being |
| 184 | interred in the ground and that is designed to support the earth |
| 185 | above the urn. |
| 186 | (25)(24) "Department" means the Department of Financial |
| 187 | Services. |
| 188 | (26)(25) "Direct disposal establishment" means a facility |
| 189 | licensed under this chapter where a direct disposer practices |
| 190 | direct disposition. |
| 191 | (27)(26) "Direct disposer" means any person licensed under |
| 192 | this chapter to practice direct disposition in this state. |
| 193 | (28)(27) "Direct supervision" means supervision by a |
| 194 | licensed: |
| 195 | (a) Funeral director who provides initial direction and |
| 196 | periodic inspection of the arrangements and who is physically |
| 197 | present or on the premises of the funeral establishment at all |
| 198 | times when the tasks, functions, and duties relating to funeral |
| 199 | directing are performed; or |
| 200 | (b) Embalmer who provides initial direction and |
| 201 | instruction regarding the preservation of a dead human body in |
| 202 | its entirety or in part and who is physically present or on the |
| 203 | premises of the funeral establishment or embalming facility at |
| 204 | all times when the tasks, functions, and duties relating to |
| 205 | embalming are performed. |
| 206 | (29)(28) "Director" means the director of the Division of |
| 207 | Funeral, Cemetery, and Consumer Services. |
| 208 | (30)(29) "Disinterment" means removal of a dead human body |
| 209 | from earth interment or aboveground interment. |
| 210 | (31)(30) "Division" means the Division of Funeral, |
| 211 | Cemetery, and Consumer Services within the Department of |
| 212 | Financial Services. |
| 213 | (32)(31) "Embalmer" means any person licensed under this |
| 214 | chapter to practice embalming in this state. |
| 215 | (33)(32) "Final disposition" means the final disposal of a |
| 216 | dead human body by burial, either by earth interment or, |
| 217 | aboveground interment, or by entombment, cremation, burial at |
| 218 | sea, or anatomical donation and delivery to the anatomical board |
| 219 | a medical institution for lawful dissection provided if the |
| 220 | anatomical board medical institution assumes responsibility for |
| 221 | cremation of the dissected remains disposal. "Final disposition" |
| 222 | does not include the disposal or distribution of cremated |
| 223 | remains and residue of cremated remains. |
| 224 | (34)(33) "Funeral" or "funeral service" means the |
| 225 | observances, services, or ceremonies held to commemorate the |
| 226 | life of a specific deceased human being and at which the human |
| 227 | remains are present. |
| 228 | (35)(34) "Funeral director" means any person licensed |
| 229 | under this chapter to practice funeral directing in this state. |
| 230 | (36)(35) "Funeral establishment" means a facility licensed |
| 231 | under this chapter where a funeral director or embalmer |
| 232 | practices funeral directing or embalming. |
| 233 | (37)(36) "General supervision" means supervision by a |
| 234 | licensed: |
| 235 | (a) Funeral director who is reasonably available and in a |
| 236 | position to provide direction and guidance by being physically |
| 237 | present, being on the premises of the funeral establishment, or |
| 238 | being in proximity to the funeral establishment and available |
| 239 | telephonically or by electronic communication at all times when |
| 240 | the tasks, functions, and duties relating to funeral directing |
| 241 | are performed; or |
| 242 | (b) Embalmer who is reasonably available and in a position |
| 243 | to provide direction and guidance by being physically present, |
| 244 | being on the premises of the funeral establishment or embalming |
| 245 | facility, or being in proximity to the funeral establishment or |
| 246 | embalming facility and available telephonically or by electronic |
| 247 | communication at all times when the tasks, functions, and duties |
| 248 | relating to embalming are performed. |
| 249 | (38)(37) "Grave space" means a space of ground in a |
| 250 | cemetery intended to be used for the interment in the ground of |
| 251 | human remains. |
| 252 | (39)(38) "Human remains" or "remains," or "dead human |
| 253 | body" or "dead human bodies," means the body of a deceased human |
| 254 | person for which a death certificate or fetal death certificate |
| 255 | is required under chapter 382 and includes the body in any stage |
| 256 | of decomposition. |
| 257 | (40) "Indigent person" means a person whose family income |
| 258 | does not exceed 100 percent of the current federal poverty |
| 259 | guidelines prescribed for the family's household size by the |
| 260 | United States Department of Health and Human Services. |
| 261 | (41)(39) "Legally authorized person" means, in the |
| 262 | priority listed: |
| 263 | (a) The decedent, when written inter vivos authorizations |
| 264 | and directions are provided by the decedent; |
| 265 | (b) The person designated by the decedent as authorized to |
| 266 | direct disposition pursuant to Pub. L. No. 109-163, s. 564, as |
| 267 | listed on the decedent's United States Department of Defense |
| 268 | Record of Emergency Data, DD Form 93, or its successor form, if |
| 269 | the decedent died while serving military service as described in |
| 270 | 10 U.S.C. s. 1481(a)(1)-(8) in any branch of the United States |
| 271 | Armed Forces, United States Reserve Forces, or National Guard; |
| 272 | (c) The surviving spouse, unless the spouse has been |
| 273 | arrested for committing against the deceased an act of domestic |
| 274 | violence as defined in s. 741.28 that resulted in or contributed |
| 275 | to the death of the deceased; |
| 276 | (d) A son or daughter who is 18 years of age or older; |
| 277 | (e) A parent; |
| 278 | (f) A brother or sister who is 18 years of age or older; |
| 279 | (g) A grandchild who is 18 years of age or older; |
| 280 | (h) A grandparent; or |
| 281 | (i) Any person in the next degree of kinship. |
| 282 |
|
| 283 | In addition, the term may include, if no family member exists or |
| 284 | is available, the guardian of the dead person at the time of |
| 285 | death; the personal representative of the deceased; the attorney |
| 286 | in fact of the dead person at the time of death; the health |
| 287 | surrogate of the dead person at the time of death; a public |
| 288 | health officer; the medical examiner, county commission, or |
| 289 | administrator acting under part VII II of this chapter 406 or |
| 290 | other public administrator; a representative of a nursing home |
| 291 | or other health care institution in charge of final disposition; |
| 292 | or a friend or other person not listed in this subsection who is |
| 293 | willing to assume the responsibility as the legally authorized |
| 294 | person. Where there is a person in any priority class listed in |
| 295 | this subsection, the funeral establishment shall rely upon the |
| 296 | authorization of any one legally authorized person of that class |
| 297 | if that person represents that she or he is not aware of any |
| 298 | objection to the cremation of the deceased's human remains by |
| 299 | others in the same class of the person making the representation |
| 300 | or of any person in a higher priority class. |
| 301 | (42)(40) "License" includes all authorizations required or |
| 302 | issued under this chapter, except where expressly indicated |
| 303 | otherwise, and shall be understood to include authorizations |
| 304 | previously referred to as registrations or certificates of |
| 305 | authority in chapters 470 and 497 as those chapters appeared in |
| 306 | the 2004 edition of the Florida Statutes. |
| 307 | (43)(41) "Licensee" means the person or entity holding any |
| 308 | license or other authorization issued under this chapter, except |
| 309 | where expressly indicated otherwise. |
| 310 | (44)(42) "Mausoleum" means a structure or building that is |
| 311 | substantially exposed above the ground and that is intended to |
| 312 | be used for the entombment of human remains. |
| 313 | (45)(43) "Mausoleum section" means any construction unit |
| 314 | of a mausoleum that is acceptable to the department and that a |
| 315 | cemetery uses to initiate its mausoleum program or to add to its |
| 316 | existing mausoleum structures. |
| 317 | (46)(44) "Monument" means any product used for identifying |
| 318 | a grave site and cemetery memorials of all types, including |
| 319 | monuments, markers, and vases. |
| 320 | (47)(45) "Monument establishment" means a facility that |
| 321 | operates independently of a cemetery or funeral establishment |
| 322 | and that offers to sell monuments or monument services to the |
| 323 | public for placement in a cemetery. |
| 324 | (48)(46) "Net assets" means the amount by which the total |
| 325 | assets of a licensee, excluding goodwill, franchises, customer |
| 326 | lists, patents, trademarks, and receivables from or advances to |
| 327 | officers, directors, employees, salespersons, and affiliated |
| 328 | companies, exceed total liabilities of the licensee. For |
| 329 | purposes of this definition, the term "total liabilities" does |
| 330 | not include the capital stock, paid-in capital, or retained |
| 331 | earnings of the licensee. |
| 332 | (49)(47) "Net worth" means total assets minus total |
| 333 | liabilities pursuant to generally accepted accounting |
| 334 | principles. |
| 335 | (50)(48) "Niche" means a compartment or cubicle for the |
| 336 | memorialization or permanent placement of a container or urn |
| 337 | containing cremated remains. |
| 338 | (51)(49) "Ossuary" means a receptacle used for the |
| 339 | communal placement of cremated remains without benefit of an urn |
| 340 | or any other container in which cremated remains may be |
| 341 | commingled with other cremated remains and are nonrecoverable. |
| 342 | It may or may not include memorialization. |
| 343 | (52)(50) "Outer burial container" means an enclosure into |
| 344 | which a casket is placed and includes, but is not limited to, |
| 345 | vaults made of concrete, steel, fiberglass, or copper; sectional |
| 346 | concrete enclosures; crypts; and wooden enclosures. |
| 347 | (53)(51) "Person," when used without qualification such as |
| 348 | "natural" or "individual," includes both natural persons and |
| 349 | legal entities. |
| 350 | (54)(52) "Personal residence" means any residential |
| 351 | building in which one temporarily or permanently maintains her |
| 352 | or his abode, including, but not limited to, an apartment or a |
| 353 | hotel, motel, nursing home, convalescent home, home for the |
| 354 | aged, or a public or private institution. |
| 355 | (55)(53) "Practice of direct disposition" means the |
| 356 | cremation of human remains without preparation of the human |
| 357 | remains by embalming and without any attendant services or rites |
| 358 | such as funeral or graveside services or the making of |
| 359 | arrangements for such final disposition. |
| 360 | (56)(54) "Practice of embalming" means disinfecting or |
| 361 | preserving or attempting to disinfect or preserve dead human |
| 362 | bodies by replacing certain body fluids with preserving and |
| 363 | disinfecting chemicals. |
| 364 | (57)(55) "Practice of funeral directing" means the |
| 365 | performance by a licensed funeral director of any of those |
| 366 | functions authorized by s. 497.372. |
| 367 | (58)(56) "Preneed contract" means any arrangement or |
| 368 | method, of which the provider of funeral merchandise or services |
| 369 | has actual knowledge, whereby any person agrees to furnish |
| 370 | funeral merchandise or service in the future. |
| 371 | (59)(57) "Preneed sales agent" means any person who is |
| 372 | licensed under this chapter to sell preneed burial or funeral |
| 373 | service and merchandise contracts or direct disposition |
| 374 | contracts in this state. |
| 375 | (60)(58) "Principal" means and includes the sole |
| 376 | proprietor of a sole proprietorship; all partners of a |
| 377 | partnership; all members of a limited liability company; |
| 378 | regarding a corporation, all directors and officers, and all |
| 379 | stockholders controlling more than 10 percent of the voting |
| 380 | stock; and all other persons who can exercise control over the |
| 381 | person or entity. |
| 382 | (61)(59) "Processing" means the reduction of identifiable |
| 383 | bone fragments after the completion of the cremation process to |
| 384 | unidentifiable bone fragments by manual means. |
| 385 | (62)(60) "Profession" and "occupation" are used |
| 386 | interchangeably in this chapter. The use of the word |
| 387 | "profession" in this chapter with respect to any activities |
| 388 | regulated under this chapter shall not be deemed to mean that |
| 389 | such activities are not occupations for other purposes in state |
| 390 | or federal law. |
| 391 | (63)(61) "Pulverization" means the reduction of |
| 392 | identifiable bone fragments after the completion of the |
| 393 | cremation and processing to granulated particles by manual or |
| 394 | mechanical means. |
| 395 | (64)(62) "Refrigeration facility" means a facility that is |
| 396 | operated independently of a funeral establishment, crematory, or |
| 397 | direct disposal establishment, that maintains space and |
| 398 | equipment for the storage and refrigeration of dead human |
| 399 | bodies, and that offers its service to funeral directors, |
| 400 | funeral establishments, direct disposers, direct disposal |
| 401 | establishments, or crematories for a fee. |
| 402 | (65)(63) "Religious institution" means an organization |
| 403 | formed primarily for religious purposes that has qualified for |
| 404 | exemption from federal income tax as an exempt organization |
| 405 | under the provisions of s. 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue |
| 406 | Code of 1986, as amended. |
| 407 | (66)(64) "Removal service" means any service that operates |
| 408 | independently of a funeral establishment or a direct disposal |
| 409 | establishment, that handles the initial removal of dead human |
| 410 | bodies, and that offers its service to funeral establishments |
| 411 | and direct disposal establishments for a fee. |
| 412 | (67)(65) "Rules" refers to rules adopted under this |
| 413 | chapter unless expressly indicated to the contrary. |
| 414 | (68)(66) "Scattering garden" means a location set aside, |
| 415 | within a cemetery, that is used for the spreading or |
| 416 | broadcasting of cremated remains that have been removed from |
| 417 | their container and can be mixed with or placed on top of the |
| 418 | soil or ground cover or buried in an underground receptacle on a |
| 419 | commingled basis and that are nonrecoverable. It may or may not |
| 420 | include memorialization. |
| 421 | (69)(67) "Servicing agent" means any person acting as an |
| 422 | independent contractor whose fiduciary responsibility is to |
| 423 | assist both the trustee and licensee in administrating their |
| 424 | responsibilities pursuant to this chapter. |
| 425 | (70)(68) "Solicitation" means any communication that |
| 426 | directly or implicitly requests an immediate oral response from |
| 427 | the recipient. |
| 428 | (71)(69) "Statutory accounting" means generally accepted |
| 429 | accounting principles, except as modified by this chapter. |
| 430 | (72)(70) "Temporary container" means a receptacle for |
| 431 | cremated remains usually made of cardboard, plastic, or similar |
| 432 | material designated to hold the cremated remains until an urn or |
| 433 | other permanent container is acquired. |
| 434 | (73) "Unclaimed remains" means human remains that are not |
| 435 | claimed by a legally authorized person, other than a medical |
| 436 | examiner or the board of county commissioners, for final |
| 437 | disposition at the person's expense. |
| 438 | (74)(71) "Urn" means a receptacle designed to permanently |
| 439 | encase cremated remains. |
| 440 | Section 3. Section 406.50, Florida Statutes, is |
| 441 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.701, Florida Statutes, |
| 442 | and amended to read: |
| 443 | 497.701 406.50 Unclaimed dead bodies or human remains; |
| 444 | disposition, procedure.- |
| 445 | (1) A person or entity that comes All public officers, |
| 446 | agents, or employees of every county, city, village, town, or |
| 447 | municipality and every person in charge of any prison, morgue, |
| 448 | hospital, funeral parlor, or mortuary and all other persons |
| 449 | coming into possession, charge, or control of unclaimed any dead |
| 450 | human body or remains that which are unclaimed or which are |
| 451 | required to be buried or cremated at public expense shall are |
| 452 | hereby required to notify, immediately notify, the anatomical |
| 453 | board, unless: |
| 454 | (a) The unclaimed remains are decomposed or mutilated by |
| 455 | wounds; |
| 456 | (b) An autopsy is performed on the remains; |
| 457 | (c) The remains contain whenever any such body, bodies, or |
| 458 | remains come into its possession, charge, or control. |
| 459 | Notification of the anatomical board is not required if the |
| 460 | death was caused by crushing injury, the deceased had a |
| 461 | contagious disease; |
| 462 | (d) A legally authorized person, an autopsy was required |
| 463 | to determine cause of death, the body was in a state of severe |
| 464 | decomposition, or a family member objects to use of the remains |
| 465 | body for medical education and research; or |
| 466 | (e) The deceased person was a veteran of the United States |
| 467 | Armed Forces, United States Reserve Forces, or National Guard |
| 468 | and is eligible for burial in a national cemetery or was the |
| 469 | spouse or dependent child of a veteran eligible for burial in a |
| 470 | national cemetery. |
| 471 | (2)(1) Before the final disposition of unclaimed remains, |
| 472 | the person or entity in charge or control of the dead body or |
| 473 | human remains shall make a reasonable effort to determine: |
| 474 | (a) Determine the identity of the deceased person and |
| 475 | shall further make a reasonable effort to contact any relatives |
| 476 | of the such deceased person. |
| 477 | (b) Determine whether or not the deceased person is |
| 478 | eligible under 38 C.F.R. s. 38.620 for entitled to burial in a |
| 479 | national cemetery as a veteran of the armed forces and, if |
| 480 | eligible so, to cause the deceased person's remains or cremated |
| 481 | remains to be delivered to a national cemetery shall make |
| 482 | arrangements for such burial services in accordance with the |
| 483 | provisions of 38 C.F.R. |
| 484 |
|
| 485 | For purposes of this subsection, "a reasonable effort" includes |
| 486 | contacting the National Cemetery Scheduling Office and the |
| 487 | county veterans service office or regional office of the United |
| 488 | States Department of Veterans Affairs. |
| 489 | (3)(2) Unclaimed remains Such dead human bodies as |
| 490 | described in this chapter shall be delivered to the anatomical |
| 491 | board as soon as possible after death. When no family exists or |
| 492 | is available, a funeral director licensed under this chapter may |
| 493 | assume the responsibility of a legally authorized person and |
| 494 | may, after 48 hours have elapsed from the time of death, |
| 495 | authorize arterial embalming for the purposes of storage and |
| 496 | delivery of unclaimed remains to the anatomical board. A funeral |
| 497 | director licensed under this chapter is not liable for damages |
| 498 | under this subsection. |
| 499 | (4) The remains of a deceased person whose identity is not |
| 500 | known may not be cremated, donated as an anatomical gift, buried |
| 501 | at sea, or removed from the state. |
| 502 | (5) If the anatomical board does not accept the unclaimed |
| 503 | remains, the county commission, or its designated county |
| 504 | department, of the county in which the remains are found or the |
| 505 | death occurred may authorize and arrange for the burial or |
| 506 | cremation of the entire remains. A board of county commissioners |
| 507 | may, in accordance with applicable laws and rules, prescribe |
| 508 | policies and procedures for final disposition of unclaimed |
| 509 | remains by resolution or ordinance. |
| 510 | (6)(3) This part does not Nothing herein shall affect the |
| 511 | right of a medical examiner to hold human such dead body or |
| 512 | remains for the purpose of investigating the cause of death or, |
| 513 | nor shall this chapter affect the right of any court of |
| 514 | competent jurisdiction to enter an order affecting the |
| 515 | disposition of such body or remains. |
| 516 | (4) In the event more than one legally authorized person |
| 517 | claims a body for interment, the requests shall be prioritized |
| 518 | in accordance with s. 732.103. |
| 519 | |
| 520 | For purposes of this chapter, the term "anatomical board" means |
| 521 | the anatomical board of this state located at the University of |
| 522 | Florida Health Science Center, and the term "unclaimed" means a |
| 523 | dead body or human remains that is not claimed by a legally |
| 524 | authorized person, as defined in s. 497.005, for interment at |
| 525 | that person's expense. |
| 526 | Section 4. Section 406.51, Florida Statutes, is |
| 527 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.703, Florida Statutes, |
| 528 | and amended to read: |
| 529 | 497.703 406.51 Final disposition of unclaimed deceased |
| 530 | veterans; contract requirements.-Any contract by a local |
| 531 | governmental entity for the final disposition disposal of |
| 532 | unclaimed human remains must provide for compliance with s. |
| 533 | 497.701(2) 406.50(1) and require that the procedures in 38 |
| 534 | C.F.R. s. 38.620, relating to disposition of unclaimed deceased |
| 535 | veterans, are be followed. |
| 536 | Section 5. Section 406.52, Florida Statutes, is |
| 537 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.705, Florida Statutes, |
| 538 | and amended to read: |
| 539 | (Substantial rewording of section. See |
| 540 | s. 406.52, F.S., for present text.) |
| 541 | 497.705 Retention of human remains before use; claim after |
| 542 | delivery to anatomical board; procedures for unclaimed remains |
| 543 | of indigent persons.- |
| 544 | (1) The anatomical board shall keep in storage all human |
| 545 | remains that it receives for at least 48 hours before allowing |
| 546 | their use for medical education and research. The anatomical |
| 547 | board may, for any reason, refuse to accept unclaimed remains or |
| 548 | the remains of an indigent person. |
| 549 | (2) At any time before their use for medical education or |
| 550 | research, human remains delivered to the anatomical board may be |
| 551 | claimed by a legally authorized person. The anatomical board |
| 552 | shall release the remains to the legally authorized person after |
| 553 | payment of the anatomical board's expenses incurred for |
| 554 | transporting, embalming, and storing the remains. |
| 555 | (3)(a) A board of county commissioners may, in accordance |
| 556 | with applicable laws and rules, prescribe policies and |
| 557 | procedures for the final disposition of the unclaimed remains of |
| 558 | an indigent person whose remains are found, or whose death |
| 559 | occurred in the county, by resolution or ordinance. |
| 560 | (b) A person licensed under this chapter is not liable for |
| 561 | any damages resulting from cremating or burying such human |
| 562 | remains at the written direction of the board of county |
| 563 | commissioners or its designee. |
| 564 | Section 6. Section 406.53, Florida Statutes, is |
| 565 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.707, Florida Statutes, |
| 566 | and amended to read: |
| 567 | (Substantial rewording of section. See |
| 568 | s. 406.53, F.S., for present text.) |
| 569 | 497.707 Unclaimed remains of indigent person; exemption |
| 570 | from notice to the anatomical board.-A county commission or |
| 571 | designated county department that receives a report of the |
| 572 | unclaimed remains of an indigent person, notwithstanding s. |
| 573 | 497.701(1), is not required to notify the anatomical board of |
| 574 | the remains if: |
| 575 | (1) The indigent person's remains are decomposed or |
| 576 | mutilated by wounds; |
| 577 | (2) A legally authorized person or a relative by blood or |
| 578 | marriage claims the remains for final disposition at his or her |
| 579 | expense or, if such relative or legally authorized person is |
| 580 | also an indigent person, in a manner consistent with the |
| 581 | policies and procedures of the board of county commissioners of |
| 582 | the county in which the remains are found or the death occurred; |
| 583 | (3) The deceased person was a veteran of the United States |
| 584 | Armed Forces, United States Reserve Forces, or National Guard |
| 585 | and is eligible for burial in a national cemetery or was the |
| 586 | spouse or dependent child of a veteran eligible for burial in a |
| 587 | national cemetery; or |
| 588 | (4) A funeral director licensed under this chapter |
| 589 | certifies that the anatomical board has been notified and either |
| 590 | accepted or declined the remains. |
| 591 | Section 7. Section 406.55, Florida Statutes, is |
| 592 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.709, Florida Statutes, |
| 593 | and amended to read: |
| 594 | 497.709 406.55 Contracts for delivery of human remains |
| 595 | body after death prohibited.-The anatomical board may not enter |
| 596 | is specifically prohibited from entering into any contract, oral |
| 597 | or written, that provides for whereby any sum of money to shall |
| 598 | be paid to any living person in exchange for which the delivery |
| 599 | of that person's remains body of said person shall be delivered |
| 600 | to the anatomical board when the such living person dies. |
| 601 | Section 8. Section 406.56, Florida Statutes, is |
| 602 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.711, Florida Statutes, |
| 603 | and amended to read: |
| 604 | 497.711 406.56 Acceptance of human remains bodies under |
| 605 | will.-If any person being of sound mind executes shall execute a |
| 606 | will leaving his or her remains body to the anatomical board for |
| 607 | the advancement of medical education and research science and |
| 608 | the such person dies within the geographical limits of the |
| 609 | state, the anatomical board may is hereby empowered to accept |
| 610 | and receive the person's remains such body. |
| 611 | Section 9. Section 406.57, Florida Statutes, is |
| 612 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.713, Florida Statutes, |
| 613 | and amended to read: |
| 614 | 497.713 406.57 Distribution of human remains dead bodies.- |
| 615 | The anatomical board or its duly authorized agent shall take and |
| 616 | receive human remains the bodies delivered to it as provided in |
| 617 | under the provisions of this chapter and shall: |
| 618 | (1) Distribute the remains them equitably to and among the |
| 619 | medical and dental schools, teaching hospitals, medical |
| 620 | institutions, and health-related teaching programs that require |
| 621 | cadaveric material for study; or |
| 622 | (2) Loan the remains same may be loaned for examination or |
| 623 | study purposes to recognized associations of licensed embalmers |
| 624 | or funeral directors, or medical or dental examining boards, for |
| 625 | educational or research purposes at the discretion of the |
| 626 | anatomical board. |
| 627 | Section 10. Section 406.58, Florida Statutes, is |
| 628 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.715, Florida Statutes, |
| 629 | and amended to read: |
| 630 | 497.715 406.58 Fees; authority to accept additional funds; |
| 631 | annual audit.- |
| 632 | (1) The anatomical board may: |
| 633 | (a) Adopt is empowered to prescribe a schedule of fees to |
| 634 | be collected from the institution or association to which the |
| 635 | human remains bodies, as described in this chapter, are |
| 636 | distributed or loaned to defray the costs of obtaining and |
| 637 | preparing the remains such bodies. |
| 638 | (b)(2) The anatomical board is hereby empowered to Receive |
| 639 | money from public or private sources, in addition to the fees |
| 640 | collected from the institution or association to which human |
| 641 | remains the bodies are distributed, to be used to defray the |
| 642 | costs of embalming, handling, shipping, storing, cremating, and |
| 643 | otherwise storage, cremation, and other costs relating to the |
| 644 | obtaining and using the remains. use of such bodies as described |
| 645 | in this chapter; the anatomical board is empowered to |
| 646 | (c) Pay the reasonable expenses, as determined by the |
| 647 | anatomical board, incurred by a funeral establishment or removal |
| 648 | service licensed under this chapter any person delivering human |
| 649 | remains the bodies as described in this chapter to the |
| 650 | anatomical board. and is further empowered to |
| 651 | (d) Enter into contracts and perform such other acts as |
| 652 | are necessary for to the proper performance of its duties.; |
| 653 | (2) The Department of Financial Services shall keep and |
| 654 | annually audit a complete record of all fees and other financial |
| 655 | transactions of the said anatomical board and shall annually |
| 656 | submit be kept and audited annually by the Department of |
| 657 | Financial Services, and a report of the such audit shall be made |
| 658 | annually to the University of Florida. |
| 659 | Section 11. Section 406.59, Florida Statutes, is |
| 660 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.717, Florida Statutes, |
| 661 | and amended to read: |
| 662 | 497.717 406.59 Institutions receiving human remains |
| 663 | bodies.-A No university, school, college, teaching hospital, |
| 664 | institution, or association may not shall be allowed or |
| 665 | permitted to receive any human remains such body or bodies as |
| 666 | described in this chapter until its facilities are have been |
| 667 | inspected and approved by the anatomical board. Human remains |
| 668 | All such bodies received by such university, school, college, |
| 669 | teaching hospital, institution, or association may not shall be |
| 670 | used for any no other purpose other than the promotion of |
| 671 | medical education and research science. |
| 672 | Section 12. Section 406.60, Florida Statutes, is |
| 673 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.719, Florida Statutes, |
| 674 | and amended to read: |
| 675 | 497.719 406.60 Disposition of human remains bodies after |
| 676 | use.-At any time When human remains any body or bodies or part |
| 677 | or parts of any body or bodies, as described in this chapter, |
| 678 | shall have been used for, and are not deemed of any no further |
| 679 | value to, medical or dental science, then the person or persons |
| 680 | having charge of the remains said body or parts of said body may |
| 681 | dispose of the remains or any part thereof by cremation. |
| 682 | Section 13. Section 406.61, Florida Statutes, is |
| 683 | transferred, renumbered as section 497.721, Florida Statutes, |
| 684 | and amended to read: |
| 685 | 497.721 406.61 Selling, buying, or conveying human remains |
| 686 | bodies outside or within state prohibited; exceptions;, |
| 687 | penalty.- |
| 688 | (1) Any person who sells or buys human remains or any part |
| 689 | thereof, body or parts of bodies as described in this chapter or |
| 690 | any person except a recognized Florida medical or dental school |
| 691 | who transmits or conveys or causes to be transmitted or conveyed |
| 692 | such remains body or part thereof parts of bodies to any place |
| 693 | outside or within this state, commits a misdemeanor of the first |
| 694 | degree, punishable as provided in s. ss. 775.082 or s. and |
| 695 | 775.083. However, this chapter does not prohibit the anatomical |
| 696 | board from transporting human remains specimens outside the |
| 697 | state for educational or scientific purposes or prohibit the |
| 698 | transport of human remains, any part of such remains bodies, |
| 699 | parts of bodies, or tissue specimens for purposes in furtherance |
| 700 | of lawful examination, investigation, or autopsy conducted |
| 701 | pursuant to s. 406.11. Any person, institution, or organization |
| 702 | that conveys human remains bodies or any part thereof within, |
| 703 | parts of bodies into, or out of the state for medical education |
| 704 | or research purposes must shall notify the anatomical board of |
| 705 | such intent and receive approval from the anatomical board. |
| 706 | (2) Any entity accredited by the American Association of |
| 707 | Museums may convey plastinated human remains bodies or any part |
| 708 | thereof parts of bodies into or out of the state for exhibition |
| 709 | and public educational purposes without the consent of the |
| 710 | anatomical board if the accredited entity: |
| 711 | (a) Notifies the anatomical board of the conveyance and |
| 712 | the duration and location of the exhibition at least 30 days |
| 713 | before the intended conveyance. |
| 714 | (b) Submits to the anatomical board a description of the |
| 715 | remains bodies or any part thereof parts of bodies and the name |
| 716 | and address of the company providing the remains bodies or any |
| 717 | part thereof parts of bodies. |
| 718 | (c) Submits to the anatomical board documentation that the |
| 719 | remains were each body was donated by the decedent or his or her |
| 720 | next of kin for purposes of plastination and public exhibition, |
| 721 | or, in lieu of such documentation, an affidavit stating that the |
| 722 | remains were each body was donated directly by the decedent or |
| 723 | his or her next of kin for such purposes to the company |
| 724 | providing the remains body and that such company has a donation |
| 725 | form on file for the remains body. |
| 726 | (3) Notwithstanding paragraph (2)(c) and in lieu of the |
| 727 | documentation or affidavit required under paragraph (2)(c), for |
| 728 | a plastinated body that, before July 1, 2009, was exhibited in |
| 729 | this state by any entity accredited by the American Association |
| 730 | of Museums that exhibited plastinated human remains in this |
| 731 | state before July 1, 2009, such an accredited entity may submit |
| 732 | an affidavit to the anatomical board stating that the remains |
| 733 | were body was legally acquired and that the company providing |
| 734 | the remains body has acquisition documentation on file for the |
| 735 | remains body. This subsection expires January 1, 2012. |
| 736 | Section 14. Section 406.54, Florida Statutes, is repealed. |
| 737 | Section 15. This act shall take effect July 1, 2011. |