Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts

What's New:

RENEW YOUR LICENSE ONLINE Something new to consider!

Hutchinson cemetery owner receives 58 month prison Sentence in Fairlawn Burial Park case involving felony theft, misuse of the cemetery's permanent maintenance fund, providing false information, perjury and misdemeanor counts of failure to comply with the Cemetery Merchandise Act. Ms. McDonough was also ordered to pay $653,400 in restitution. Added 8-6-10

REMINDER!!! On August 1, 2010 the Department of Homeland Security's Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has announced that the 100% air cargo screening protocols for Human Remains (HR) shipments become effective. The screening for human remains shipped by passenger airliners in the USA went into effect in February 2009 at the 50% level. There are several web sites available with useful information that you may want to look at, including the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and American Airlines (AA) Cargo. UPDATED 7-27-2010

On a voice vote, the House Energy and Commerce Committee has approved H.R. 3655, the "Bereaved Consumers BIll of Rights Act." If the bill becomes law in its' current format, it would direct the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to issue a rule regulating cemeteries, crematories and all third-party sellers who sell funeral or burial goods or services to the public. Information can be obtained by viewing the Library of Congress Thomas. ADDED 7-26-2010

An article/video from Kansas City's KMBC (ABC TV affiliate) regarding the closure of Mt. Washington Funeral Home and a New Company Operating Historic Cemetery Referring to Mount Washington Cemetery located in Independence, Missouri ADDED 7/14/2010

Congratulations to KSBMA Member and Past President Fred Holroyd on his recent three-year reappointment by Kansas Governor Mark Parkinson to the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts! Congratulations, Fred. From the It's Your Business section/Names of the Sunday, August 1, 2010 edition of the Topeka Capital-Jounal: Fred Holroyd has been reappointed to an additional three-year term as a board member of the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts. Holroyd is vice president of community development at Penwell-Gabel, where he has worked since 1971. He has been a licensed embalmer in Kansas since 1965 and a licensed funeral director in Kansas since 1967. He also is a certified eye enucleator. Updated 8-6-2010

KANSAS FUNERAL HOMES, PLEASE NOTE THAT: Due to budget cuts made during the 2010 Kansas Legislative Session, the SRS Funeral Assistance Program will no longer be budgeted as of July 1, 2010.

A listing of all State Funeral Regulatory Boards provided by The International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards (ICFSEB)

Legislation Information from the 2010 Kansas Legislative Session affecting funeral service and the KSBMA. The legislature adjourned on Tuesday, May 11, 2010 following Sine Die.

On Thursday, May 13, 2010, Governor Mark Parkinson announced the signing of several bills, including:

Relating to crematory operations--

Senate Substitute for House Bill 2310 enacts new law creating licensure requirements for crematory operators, increases the statutory maximum for certain fees charged by the Kansas State Board of Mortuary Arts and makes several amendments to laws governing the cremation process. Among the new requirements, the bill will:

· Require that every cremation conducted in Kansas be under the supervision of a licensed crematory operator;

Make it unlawful for any person to engage in the business of crematory operator without a license;

· Require that every person desiring to enter the practice of crematory operator apply to the Board of Mortuary Arts and meet the requirements of the Board concerning age and training; and

· Establishes a renewal fee for licensure.

In addition, the bill establishes a new definition of cremation and requires the consent of the next of kin when a crematory intends to recycle anything remaining after cremation. While the bill takes effect upon its publication in the Kansas Statute Book, July 1, 2010, the laws within the bill do not go into effect until July 1, 2011.

Agency Newsletter For the latest news. UPDATED 8-6-2010

My Two Cents Worth is a new column written by KSBMA Executive Secretary Mack Smith UPDATED 8-6-2010

The Tentative Agenda for the October 14, 2010 Meeting. The filing deadline for the upcoming Board Meeting of October 14, 2010 is September 15, 2010. All applications, fees and documentation must be filed/received with/by the KSBMA office by no later than September 15th, 2010 in order to be placed on the agenda for the October 14, 2010 meeting. UPDATED 7-8-2010

Assistant Funeral Directors: The filing deadline for the AFD examination of Wednesday, September 1, 2010 is Monday, August 16, 2010. UPDATED 8-6-2010

Consumer Corner UPDATED 7-23-2010. Information for Kansas consumers.

Effective January 15, 2010, all certified copies of Kansas death certificates ordered through the KDHE/Office of Vital Statistics will cost $15 each instead of $13 for the first certified copy and $8 for each additional copy per order. A copy of the regulations addressing the new cost can be found in the December 31, 2009 edition of the Kansas Register, Vol. 28, No. 53, on page 1809.

NPS: Information regarding the rehabilitation of Memorial Service/Lincoln Memorial Life Insurance Companies/National Prearranged Funeral Services which includes Legal Documents relating to the rehabilitation. Additional information can be found on the web site of the Texas Department of Insurance (TDI), including a Resource Page and notices/news/press releases and FAQ.

Most Recent Quarter KSBMA Inspection Report compiled by KSBMA Inspector Francis Mills.

FY 2009 Year End State Inspection Report which shows totals for the time frame of July 1, 2008 to June 30, 2009.

To view two generic forms requested by Kansas Crematories for dealing with KAR 63-7-2 and Crematory Record keeping, please click here

Information on the Willed Body Program at the University of Kansas Medical Center including the certificate necessary for Bequeathing A Body Please note a web site change for the KU Medical Center.

Contact information for the KHPA/Estate Recovery Unit can be found on the KSBMA Agency Newsletter portion of this web page. To read an interesting article dealing with disposition of dead human remains, please select here

Licensee Question of Knowledge Test your knowledge of funeral related laws! The current question involves determining the legal next-of-kin. UPDATED 7-27-2010

Licensee Change of Address Form Licensees need to remember to keep us informed of where you want information mailed to. We don't like charging late fees, and I know you sure don't like to pay them!!!

Kansas Dead Body Law A helpful article written by Brian Vazquez regarding Unclaimed Bodies helpful for consumers and funeral homes. Our thanks to Brian for sharing!

K.S.A. 17-1305 regarding Private Burying Grounds; Control by county clerk; Actions for Damages.

Legal Next-of-Kin for purposes of disposition: (K.S.A. 65-1734 )