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B26-0547 • 2025

Green Death Care Option Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Posthumous Care Modernization Amendment Act of 2026")

Green Death Care Option Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Posthumous Care Modernization Amendment Act of 2026")

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor
McDuffie
Last action
2026-07-14
Official status
Under Council Review
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official status indicates the bill is still under review; it has no current legal effect until all steps in Section 4 are completed.

Posthumous Care Modernization Amendment Act of 2026

This bill amends D.C. law to allow funeral services establishments to use alkaline hydrolysis for reducing human remains and updates the legal definition of cremation.

What This Bill Does

  • Authorizes reduction by alkaline hydrolysis at funeral services establishments.
  • Defines 'Alkaline Hydrolysis' as using water, alkaline chemicals, and heat inside a watertight vessel to accelerate decomposition.
  • Updates the legal definition of 'Cremation' to mean the disposition of a dead human body by means of incineration.
  • Amends existing laws to list burial, cremation, and alkaline hydrolysis together.

Who It Names or Affects

  • Funeral services establishments in the District of Columbia
  • People who choose how their remains are handled after death

Terms To Know

Alkaline Hydrolysis
The process of reducing human remains using water, alkaline chemicals, and heat inside a watertight vessel to accelerate decomposition.
Cremation
The disposition of a dead human body by means of incineration.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This act takes effect only after approval by the Mayor, a 30-day Congressional review period, and publication in the District of Columbia Register.
  • The bill text does not specify costs or require all funeral homes to offer alkaline hydrolysis.

Bill History

  1. 2026-07-14 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Legislative Meeting

  2. 2026-07-08 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Committee Mark-up of B26-0547 by the Health Committee

  3. 2026-03-23 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Public Hearing on B26-0547

  4. 2026-03-06 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing Published in the District of Columbia Register

  5. 2026-03-03 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Re-Referred to Committee on Health

  6. 2026-03-02 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Public Hearing filed in the Office of Secretary by Health

  7. 2026-02-27 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Re-Referral published.

  8. 2025-12-19 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Notice of Intent to Act on B26-0547 Published in the District of Columbia Register

  9. 2025-12-16 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    Referred to Committee on Business and Economic Development

  10. 2025-12-15 Council of the District of Columbia LIMS

    B26-0547 Introduced by Councilmember McDuffie at Office of the Secretary

Official Summary Text

Green Death Care Option Amendment Act of 2025 (now known as "Posthumous Care Modernization Amendment Act of 2026")

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
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Committee Print B26-0547 1 Committee on Health 2 July 8, 2026 3 4 5 A BILL 6 7 _________ 8 9 10 IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA 11 12 __________________ 13 14 15 To amend the District of Columbia Funeral Services Regulatory Act of 1984 to authorize 16 reduction by alkaline hydrolysis at funeral services establishments and to define 17 cremation. 18 19 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this 20 act may be cited as the “Posthumous Care Modernization Amendment Act of 2026”. 21 Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Funeral Services Regulatory Act of 1984, effective May 22 22, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-84; D.C. Official Code § 3-401 et seq.), is amended as follows: 23 (a) Section 3 (D.C. Official Code § 3-402) is amended as follows: 24 (1) A new paragraph (1A) is added to read as follows: 25 “(1A) “Alkaline Hydrolysis” means the process of reducing human remains using 26 water, alkaline chemicals, and heat inside a watertight vessel to accelerate decomposition at a 27 funeral services establishment.”. 28 (2) A new paragraph (5A) is added to read as follows: 29 “(5A) “Cremation” means the disposition of a dead human body by means of 30 incineration.”. 31
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(3) Paragraph (11) is amended by striking the phrase “burial, cremation,” and 32 inserting the phrase “burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis,” in its place. 33 Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement. 34 The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal 35 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, 36 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a). 37 Sec. 4. Effective date. 38 This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the 39 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as 40 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 41 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-206(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia 42 Register. 43