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H2462 • 2025

An Act to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea

An Act to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea

Active

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

Sponsor
Patrick Joseph Kearney
Last action
2026-04-08
Official status
Accompanied a study order, see H5330 (under House Rule 27)
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

An Act to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea

An Act to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea By Representative Kearney of Scituate, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.

What This Bill Does

  • An Act to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea By Representative Kearney of Scituate, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No.
  • 2462) of Patrick Joseph Kearney for legislation to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea.
  • Public Health.

Limits and Unknowns

  • This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

  1. 2026-04-08 House

    Accompanied a study order, see H5330 (under House Rule 27)

  2. 2025-09-29 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 09/29/2025 from 09:00 AM-11:30 PM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  3. 2025-09-29 Joint

    Hearing rescheduled to 09/29/2025 from 09:00 AM-11:30 AM in A-2 and Virtual Hearing updated to New End Time

  4. 2025-09-19 Joint

    Hearing scheduled for 09/29/2025 from 09:00 AM-01:00 PM in A-2

  5. 2025-02-27 House

    Referred to the committee on Public Health

  6. 2025-02-27 Senate

    Senate concurred

  7. House

    Reported by committee to Clerk’s Office for processing, will accompany a study order

Official Summary Text

An Act to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea
By Representative Kearney of Scituate, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 2462) of Patrick Joseph Kearney for legislation to permit the scattering of unclaimed cremated remains at sea. Public Health.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text
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Bill H.2462

Section 43M of chapter 114 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in line 15, the following words:-

"Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a funeral establishment in possession of the cremated remains of a human body which is not claimed by a next-of-kin or duly authorized representative within 12 months after the date of cremation may have the remains interred or placed in a common grave, niche, or crypt in a cemetery, or scattered in an area of the cemetery designated for that purpose;"

and, inserting in place thereof the following words:

"Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a funeral establishment in possession of the cremated remains of a human body which is not claimed by a next-of-kin or duly authorized representative within 12 months after the date of cremation may have the remains interred or placed in a common grave, niche, or crypt in a cemetery, scattered in an area of the cemetery designated for that purpose, or scattered at sea;"

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