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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0510*
SENATE BILL 510
J2 6lr2489
By: Senator West
Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors – Funeral Direction Licensure 2
and Apprentices – Requirements 3
FOR the purpose of altering the education requirements an individual must meet to 4
practice funeral direct ion or as a licensed apprentice ; prohibiting the practical 5
examination qualification required for a license to practice funeral direction from 6
including a practical examination demonstrating competency in the preparation of 7
dead human bodies for a certain purpose; and generally relating to the State Board 8
of Morticians and Funeral Directors. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Health Occupations 11
Section 7–101(a) and (d) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Health Occupations 16
Section 7–303 and 7–306(d)(1) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 20
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 21
Article – Health Occupations 22
7–101. 23
(a) In this title the following words have the meanings indicated. 24
2 SENATE BILL 510
(d) “Board” means the State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors. 1
7–303. 2
(a) (1) The Board shall determine the qualification s necessary for an 3
individual to lawfully engage in the practice of mortuary science or funeral direction and 4
to operate a funeral establishment within this State. 5
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, to qualify for a mortician 6
or funeral director license, an applicant shall be an individual who meets the requirements 7
of this section. 8
(b) The Board shall examine all applications for licensure for the practice of 9
mortuary science or funeral direction and shall issue the mortician or funera l director 10
license to an individual who: 11
(1) Is judged to be of good moral character; 12
(2) Has completed not less than 1 year and not more than 4 years of 13
licensed apprenticeship, unless the Board allowed extensions for additional 1–year terms; 14
(3) Except as otherwise provided in this section[, has graduated]: 15
(I) FOR AN INDIVIDUAL APP LYING FOR A LICENSE TO 16
PRACTICE AS A MORTICIAN, HAS: 17
1. A. GRADUATED with an associate of arts degree in 18
mortuary science or its equivalent from a school accredited by the American Board of 19
Funeral Service Education or approved by the Board[,]; or [has acquired] 20
B. ACQUIRED at least an associate of arts degree and 21
completed a course in mortuary science that is accredited by the American Board of Funeral 22
Service Education or approved by the Board; AND 23
[(4)] 2. [For an individual applying for a license to practice as a 24
mortician, passed ] PASSED the national board examination administered by the 25
Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards of the United States; OR 26
(II) 1. FOR AN INDIVIDUAL APP LYING FOR A LICENSE TO 27
PRACTICE AS A FUNERAL DIRECTOR, HAS: 28
A. GRADUATED WITH AN ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE IN 29
MORTUARY SCIENCE OR ITS EQUIVALENT FROM A SCHOOL ACCREDITED BY THE 30
AMERICAN BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICE EDUCATION; OR 31
SENATE BILL 510 3
B. SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION , 1
ACQUIRED AT LEAST AN ASSOCIATE OF ARTS DEGREE AND COMPLETED A COURSE IN 2
MORTUARY SCIENCE THAT IS ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF FUNERAL 3
SERVICE EDUCATION; AND 4
[(5)] 2. [For an individual applying for a license to practice as a 5
funeral director, passed the arts and sciences State board examinations, ] PASSED THE 6
NATIONAL BOARD EXAMI NATION administered by the Conference of Funeral Service 7
Examining Boards of the United States; 8
[(6)] (4) Except as provided in subsection [(c)] (D) of this section, has 9
passed a written examination on Maryland law and regulations governing the practice of 10
mortuary science and a practical examination demonstrating competency in the 11
preparation of dead human bodies for final disposition and sanitary science; and 12
[(7)] (5) Has submitted an application to the Board on the required form 13
and has paid a fee set by the Board. 14
(C) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, AN ASSOCIATE 15
OF ARTS DEGREE UNDER SUBSECTION (B)(3)(II)1B OF THIS SECTION MUST INCLUDE 16
A MINIMUM OF 60 CREDIT HOURS OR THE EQUIVALENT OF CREDIT HOURS IN 17
COURSES RELEVANT TO THE PRACTICE OF A FUNERAL DIRECTOR; AND 18
(2) A MINIMUM OF 30 CREDIT HOURS OF THE HOURS REQUIRED 19
UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION MUST BE IN A PROGRAM APPROVED BY 20
THE BOARD. 21
[(c)] (D) For an individual applying for a license to practice funeral direction, 22
the practical examination qualification under subsection [(b)(6)] (B)(4) of this section may 23
not include [demonstrating]: 24
(1) A PRACTICAL EXAMINATIO N DEMONSTRATING COMP ETENCY IN 25
THE PREPARATION OF DEAD HUMAN BODIES FOR FINAL DISPOSITION AND SANITARY 26
SCIENCE; OR 27
(2) DEMONSTRATING competency in embalming. 28
[(d)] (E) The Board shall advise each applicant that a license issued unde r 29
subsection (b) of this section does not guarantee that the applicant will be allowed to 30
practice in any other state. 31
7–306. 32
(d) (1) (i) Before an individual appears before the Board for approval of an 33
apprentice license: 34
4 SENATE BILL 510
1. TO ASSIST A LICENSED MORTICIAN IN THE PRACTICE 1
OF MORTUARY SCIENCE , the individual shall be enrolled in or have graduated from a 2
mortuary science program at a school accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service 3
EDUCATION or approved by the Board, with a 2.0 grade point average or higher that is 4
verified with a certified copy of the college transcript, if the individual has a grade point 5
average; OR 6
2. TO ASSIST A LICENSED FUNERAL DIRECTOR IN THE 7
PRACTICE OF FUNERAL DIRECTION, THE INDIVIDUAL SHALL BE ENROLLED IN OR 8
HAVE GRADUATED FROM A MORTUARY SCIENCE P ROGRAM AT A SCHOOL 9
ACCREDITED BY THE AMERICAN BOARD OF FUNERAL SERVICE EDUCATION OR 10
APPROVED BY THE BOARD. 11
(ii) A licensed apprentice who was enrolled in a mortuary science 12
program at the time the license was granted shall remain enrolled in the program for the 13
duration of the apprenticeship unless the licensed apprentice graduates. 14
SECTION 2. AND B E IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 15
October 1, 2026. 16