AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- FUNERAL DIRECTOR/EMBALMER AND FUNERAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS (Reduces funeral home inspections from twice a year to once a year and removes the practical exam requirement for out-of-state funeral directors and embalmers.)

S2850

2026 -- S 2850
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LC005341
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- FUNERAL DIRECTOR/EMBALMER
AND FUNERAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS

Introduced By:
Senator Melissa A. Murray

Date Introduced:
March 04, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Health & Human Services
(Dept. of Health)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Sections 5-33.2-13 and 5-33.2-26 of the General Laws in Chapter 5-33.2
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entitled "Funeral Director/Embalmer and Funeral Service Establishments" are hereby amended to
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read as follows:
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5-33.2-13. Funeral establishment and branch officer — Crematories — Inspections
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— Denial of access.
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(a) Any licensed funeral director/embalmer employed, authorized, and empowered by the
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division of professional regulation may enter any funeral establishment, funeral-establishment
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branch office, or crematory licensed under the provisions of this chapter, during the hours the
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funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch office, or crematory is open for business, for
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the purpose of inspecting the sanitary conditions, complaint investigations, and ascertaining if the
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provisions of this chapter and the rules and regulations are being observed in the operation of the
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funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch office, or crematory. The inspector may
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request permission from the department to be accompanied by another employee of the department
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of health prior to an inspection. Failure or refusal of the person in charge of that funeral
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establishment, funeral-establishment branch office, or crematory to permit the inspection at all
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reasonable times shall be deemed sufficient cause for the revocation of any license issued to the
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funeral establishment, funeral-establishment branch office, or crematory and any certificate of
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approval issued by the division.

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(b) Funeral establishments and branch offices and crematories licensed under the
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provisions of this chapter shall be inspected at least
twice

once
each year. Inspections shall include
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all areas of sanitation and public health, complaint investigations, as well as conformity with
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applicable section of this chapter and the rules and regulations.
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5-33.2-26. Licensure by endorsement.
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Any funeral director/embalmer who is currently licensed in good standing in another state
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may be licensed by endorsement in Rhode Island. Every funeral director/embalmer seeking such
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licensure must also be a graduate of a mortuary college, must have passed the funeral director and
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embalmer portions of the written examination of the national board. Furthermore, every funeral
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director/embalmer must comply with all requirements of
chapter 5-33

chapter 33.2 of title 5
and
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successfully complete

have satisfactorily passed
a practical examination
in Rhode Island
. Anyone
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licensed in another state prior to 1985 is hereby exempt from the National Board Examination
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requirements set forth in this section.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- FUNERAL DIRECTOR/EMBALMER
AND FUNERAL SERVICE ESTABLISHMENTS
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This act would reduce funeral home inspections from twice a year to once a year and
2
remove the practical exam requirement for out-of-state funeral directors and embalmers.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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