Task Force on Not-for-Profit Funeral Establishments

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0881*

HOUSE BILL 881
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By: Delegates Kaufman and Taveras
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Health

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Task Force on Not–for–Profit Funeral Establishments 2

FOR the purpose of establishing the Task Force on Not–for–Profit Funeral Establishments 3
to study the feasibility and necessity of the establishment of not –for–profit funeral 4
establishments in the State ; and generally relating to the Task Force on 5
Not–for–Profit Funeral Establishments. 6

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That: 8

(a) There is a Task Force on Not–for–Profit Funeral Establishments. 9

(b) The Task Force consists of the following members: 10

(1) one member of the Senate of Maryland, appointed by the President of 11
the Senate; 12

(2) one member of the House of Delegates, appointed by the Speaker of the 13
House; 14

(3) one representative from the Funeral Consumer s Alliance of Maryland 15
and Environs, designated by the president of the Alliance; 16

(4) one representative from the Maryland State Funeral Director s 17
Association, designated by the president of the Association; and 18

(5) the following members, appointed by the Secretary of Health: 19

(i) one representative of a funeral establishment that serves 20
customers who are primarily African American; 21

2 HOUSE BILL 881

(ii) one representative of a funeral establishment that serves 1
customers who are primarily Catholic; 2

(iii) one representative of a funeral establishment that serves 3
customers who are primarily Jewish; 4

(iv) one representative of a funeral establishment that serves 5
customers who are primarily Muslim; and 6

(v) one representative of a f uneral establishment that serves 7
customers who are primarily Protestant. 8

(c) The chair of the Task Force shall be selected by a majority vote of the members 9
of the Task Force. 10

(d) The State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors shall provide staff for 11
the Task Force. 12

(e) A member of the Task Force: 13

(1) may not receive compensation as a member of the Task Force; but 14

(2) is entitled to reimbursement for expenses under the Standard State 15
Travel Regulations, as provided in the State budget. 16

(f) The Task Force shall analyze: 17

(1) the number of individuals licensed to practice funeral direction in the 18
State; 19

(2) the number of corporations that applied for a license to practice funeral 20
direction; 21

(3) the number of applications to practice funeral direction that were 22
denied because of the ineligibility of the applicant; 23

(4) the reason each application for a license to practice funeral direction 24
was denied; 25

(5) laws and regulations of other jurisdictions that authorize not–for–profit 26
entities to practice funeral direction; 27

(6) the potential impact of authorizing not –for–profit entities to practice 28
funeral direction in the State; and 29

(7) the feasibility and necessity of the establishment of no t–for–profit 30
funeral establishments in the State. 31
HOUSE BILL 881 3

(g) On or before December 1, 2026, the Task Force shall report its findings and 1
recommendations to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State 2
Government Article, the General Assembly. 3

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 4
October 1, 2026. It shall remain effective for a period of 1 year and, at the end of September 5
30, 2027 , this Act, with no further action required by the General Assembly, shall be 6
abrogated and of no further force and effect. 7