Colorado Lawmakers Respond to Funeral Home Misconduct with Proposed Regulatory Reforms – Sky Bulletin

In light of distressing incidents where nearly 200 decaying bodies were discovered in a Colorado funeral home, state legislators have presented bills aimed at tightening the lax funeral home regulations. This overhaul comes as a response to a series of disturbing accounts involving traded body parts and counterfeit ashes.

These harrowing revelations have inflicted immense suffering upon numerous families, some of whom were horrified to learn that the remains they believed they had cherished in urns for years were, in reality, decomposing elsewhere, and not with them as originally thought.

The emotional toll has spurred lawmakers to act, putting forth a bipartisan bill on Monday that would enact Colorado’s inaugural licensing requirements for funeral home directors. By instituting these requirements, Colorado aims to align with or exceed the current regulatory standards found in other states. The proposed bill will also establish criteria for other professions within the industry, such as embalmers and those who perform cremations.

Democratic Sen. Dylan Roberts, alongside co-sponsors, expressed at a press event the unacceptable burden families have faced due to the mismanagement of their loved ones’ remains. The described incidents illustrate a failed system requiring urgent reform.

The proposed licensure would necessitate comprehensive background checks, a degree in mortuary science, a successful outcome on a national board exam, and a completed apprenticeship.

Further dismay struck the community when Christina Rosales’ body was unearthed from a hearse amid the eviction of a funeral home operator in suburban Denver. The heartbreaking accounts from affected individuals, including George Rosales and Shelia Canfield-Jones, have added an emotional impetus behind the push for these reforms.

Supplementary legislation is soon to be introduced, mandating routine inspections—a practice in which Colorado is currently lagging behind other states—and aiming to ensure improved oversight post-registration lapses.

The egregious findings have caused both grief and consternation among family members, who were misled to believe in the proper handling of their loved ones’ bodies. While industry representatives recognize that no system is foolproof, the general consensus is that these reforms are a necessary yielding to public expectations and professionalism within the industry.

The legislation also provides transitional provisions for current funeral home operators to adapt to the new standards, aiming for full compliance by 2026. Provisions for license renewal underscore the importance of staying updated on the laws, ethics, and public health standards relevant to the funeral industry.

Patty Salazar, head of the state agency overseeing funeral homes, reaffirmed the commitment to transformation and improvement through the proposed bill.

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This report was delivered by Bedayn, a member of the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a non-profit organization that deploys journalists to local newsrooms for coverage on underreported issues.