HB 1871 -- FINAL DISPOSITION OF DEAD BODIES

SPONSOR:  Deeken

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
Senior Citizen Advocacy by a vote of 6 to 0.

This bill adds and gives first priority to attorneys-in-fact who
have specifically been granted control of human remains by the
deceased to the list of individuals considered as the next-of-kin
for the purpose of burial, cremation, or other final disposition
of a dead human body.

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2009, FY 2010, and
FY 2011.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill allows individuals to
choose the person they wish to take care of their remains and
funeral arrangements upon death and protects individuals who
cannot trust their wishes to be carried out by family members.
People deserve the right to choose someone who they trust to take
care of and follow the arrangements that have been discussed
during their life and even in their legal documents.  The bill
will help funeral directors by eliminating the responsibility of
searching for relatives and sorting out differences that arise
among family members.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Deeken; and Donald
Otto, Missouri Funeral Directors Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Missouri House of Representatives
94th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated October 15, 2008 at 3:11 pm