All Roll Calls
Yes: 390 • No: 54
ColoradoHB26-12582026 Regular SessionHouse
Changes to Practices Relating to Death
Sponsored By: Brianna Titone (Democratic), Dylan Roberts (Democratic), Matt Soper (Republican), Rod Pelton (Republican)
Signed by Governor
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
17 provisions identified: 10 benefits, 2 costs, 5 mixed.
Stronger penalties for abusing human remains
Beginning August 12, 2026, Colorado makes abuse of a corpse a class 5 felony, up from class 6. Covered acts include dismembering, mutilating, concealing, selling, or improperly disposing of human remains. The law also covers improperly allowing decomposition and degrading transport or storage. The acts must lack legal or court-ordered authority and involve treatment that would outrage normal family sensibilities.
Families gain options for funeral services
Family members, friends, and friends of the family can conduct a funeral service. Religious groups can conduct both the service and final disposition without a funeral professional when their beliefs require that absence. Neither option applies when the person is known to have died of an infectious disease.
Families get clearer funeral purchase protections
Funeral providers cannot require a casket or refuse remains because they are not in one. Oral quotes, written price disclosures, and final bills can label charges as cash advances or accommodation items only at cost. The next of kin must pay, or be able to pay, the same amount the establishment pays. Funeral contracts must show the designee's license number; service contracts entered by a designee must also show applicable professional license numbers. Funeral directors and mortuary science practitioners handling required death-certificate tasks must provide their license numbers.
Families get longer burial planning deadlines
For refrigerated or embalmed remains, the deadline rises from 30 to 60 days after death. This covers burial, freezing, cremation, or starting natural reduction. A funeral director or coroner with no business interest in the establishment can approve a written extension. The applicant must show an unforeseen, uncontrollable delay or a criminal investigation.
New supervised licenses for funeral trainees
Beginning January 1, 2027, Colorado offers associate licenses to gain required experience in funeral and mortuary work. Applicants must meet general licensing requirements. Depending on the license sought, they must attend or graduate from an accredited mortuary school, or register for or complete approved crematory operator or natural reductionist certification. Associates can perform licensed work only under a licensed professional's supervision. Licenses expire three years after issuance; extensions or reinstatement require the director's approval.
Qualified funeral workers gain license portability
Beginning August 12, 2026, applicants meeting Colorado's occupational credential portability requirements must receive a license by endorsement. Covered professions include funeral directors, cremationists, mortuary science practitioners, embalmers, and natural reductionists.
Families gain access to funeral inspections
Beginning August 12, 2026, the director must inspect every funeral establishment at least annually and can hire private inspectors. Inspection reports are available under Colorado's public records law. Photos, audio, video, and details identifying a deceased person are excluded. The scheduled repeal of funeral-establishment registration and professional regulation moves from September 1, 2029, to September 1, 2031.
Funeral professionals face broader conduct standards
Regulated funeral professionals must follow accepted mortuary-science standards and cannot work beyond their skills, training, or education. Certain rules on consumer choice, transfers of remains, preparation-room access, and dishonest or negligent work now cover cremationists and natural reductionists. The preparation-room access exception also covers associate license holders. Professionals or establishments responsible for associates must properly supervise tasks that require licensed supervision.
Funeral providers face safer handling rules
Funeral establishments must transport remains safely, cleanly, and with dignity, following customary professional practices without stacking remains. They must remove implanted devices before transport to a crematory or before cremation begins. Preparation rooms must have access to enough refrigeration for the establishment's needs. Establishments cannot accept more unembalmed remains than they can refrigerate, unless custody lasts less than 24 hours. Cremation is allowed only at a registered facility.
Funeral providers must offer direct services
Funeral establishments are defined by direct services; transportation alone no longer counts, and subcontractor-only brokers cannot register as establishments. Establishments must have an inspectable physical service area and the staff and equipment to provide promised services directly. Professionals and businesses must work through registered establishments or affiliate locations. Registration records must list services, including cremation, and commonly owned affiliate locations and their services. Consumers must receive written names and addresses of routine outside handlers; for phone inquiries, notice is due when arrangements are finalized.
Funeral complaint immunity excludes criminal liability
Beginning August 12, 2026, good-faith participants in covered funeral-regulation complaints, reports, investigations, or administrative proceedings have only civil immunity. This protection does not shield them from criminal liability.
Funeral businesses must confirm liability insurance
Funeral establishments must attest that they maintain professional liability insurance when renewing registration. Coverage limits must be at least $1 million.
Unclaimed remains bring deadlines and charges
Providers can dispose of unclaimed cremated remains one year after cremation, or naturally reduced remains after 180 days. The person with the legal right to decide must receive advance notice and a reasonable chance to collect them. Providers must document contact efforts and disposal locations, and return naturally reduced remains to the earth respectfully. That person can be charged only reasonable costs actually incurred, which providers must record. Beginning August 12, 2026, crematories must first obtain authorization explaining the specified professional rights concerning disposition.
Tissue banks face ownership limits, earlier sunset
A person cannot own an interest in both a funeral establishment and a nontransplant tissue bank. Beginning August 12, 2026, the director can take authorized action against tissue banks or applicants with that ownership overlap. The scheduled repeal of tissue-bank regulation moves from September 1, 2033, to September 1, 2031.
Colorado removes separate crematory regulation provisions
Beginning August 12, 2026, Colorado repeals four specified statutory crematory provisions. Related amendments remove crematory registration from specified regulatory provisions. This removes those requirements and their associated oversight, not every rule governing cremation.
Funeral businesses face fines or warnings
Beginning August 12, 2026, funeral establishments face fines of $100 to $5,000 for each covered violation the director proves. The fine provision covers violations of parts 1 or 3 of the Mortuary Science Code and their rules. Crematories are no longer named in that fine provision. The director can instead give licensees or registrants an informal warning for technical, minor, or inconsequential violations. Such a warning bars further director action for that violation.
Funeral managers gain flexibility, face licensing
An establishment's designated compliance leader must be at least 18 and have authority to require staff to follow the rules. Beginning January 1, 2027, that person must hold a funeral director or mortuary science practitioner license. The law removes former two-year experience and employment requirements and the one-establishment limit. A designated leader can also serve commonly owned affiliate establishments. Beginning August 12, 2026, a licensee cannot delegate oversight of operations involving final disposition.
Sponsors & Cosponsors
Sponsors
Brianna Titone
Democratic • House
Dylan Roberts
Democratic • Senate
Matt Soper
Republican • House
Rod Pelton
Republican • Senate
Cosponsors
Andrew Boesenecker
Democratic • House
Bob Marshall
Democratic • House
Cecelia Espenoza
Democratic • House
Eliza Hamrick
Democratic • House
Jennifer Bacon
Democratic • House
Julie McCluskie
Democratic • House
Kyle Brown
Democratic • House
Kenny Nguyen
Democratic • House
Lorena Garcia
Democratic • House
Monica Duran
Democratic • House
Mandy Lindsay
Democratic • House
Matthew Martinez
Democratic • House
Rebecca Keltie
Republican • House
Sheila Lieder
Democratic • House
Barbara Kirkmeyer
Republican • Senate
Byron Pelton
Republican • Senate
Cathy Kipp
Democratic • Senate
Jeff Bridges
Democratic • Senate
James Coleman
Democratic • Senate
Jessie Danielson
Democratic • Senate
Julie Gonzales
Democratic • Senate
Janice Marchman
Democratic • Senate
Katie Wallace
Democratic • Senate
Larry Liston
Republican • Senate
Matt Ball
Democratic • Senate
Nick Hinrichsen
Democratic • Senate
Robert Rodriguez
Democratic • Senate
Roll Call Votes
House vote • 5/12/2026
Conference committee report: Adopt
Yes: 64 • No: 0
House vote • 5/12/2026
Conference committee report: Repass
Yes: 64 • No: 0
Senate vote • 5/8/2026
Conference committee report: Adopt ccr
Yes: 32 • No: 2
Senate vote • 5/8/2026
Conference committee report: Repass
Yes: 34 • No: 0
Vote • 5/7/2026
Adopt the first conference committee report to House Bill 26-1258.
Yes: 5 • No: 0
House vote • 5/4/2026
Senate amendments: Not cncr
Yes: 61 • No: 2
Senate vote • 4/30/2026
Third reading: Bill
Yes: 35 • No: 0
Senate vote • 4/28/2026
Refer House Bill 26-1258, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Yes: 7 • No: 0
Senate vote • 3/31/2026
Refer House Bill 26-1258, as amended, to the Committee on Appropriations.
Yes: 5 • No: 0
House vote • 3/11/2026
Third reading: Bill
Yes: 64 • No: 0
House vote • 3/10/2026
Committee of the whole: Amd (h.002)
Yes: 7 • No: 50
House vote • 3/5/2026
Refer House Bill 26-1258, as amended, to the Committee of the Whole.
Yes: 12 • No: 0
Actions Timeline
Governor Signed
6/4/2026HouseSigned by the Speaker of the House
6/3/2026HouseSigned by the President of the Senate
6/3/2026SenateSent to the Governor
6/3/2026HouseHouse Consideration of First Conference Committee Report result was to Adopt Committee Report - Repass
5/12/2026HouseSenate Consideration of First Conference Committee Report result was to Adopt Committee Report - Repass
5/8/2026SenateFirst Conference Committee Result was to Adopt Rerevised w/ Amendments
5/7/2026HouseHouse Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Not Concur - Request Conference Committee
5/4/2026HouseHouse Considered Senate Amendments - Result was to Laid Over Daily
5/1/2026HouseSenate Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
4/30/2026SenateSenate Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
4/29/2026SenateSenate Committee on Appropriations Refer Amended to Senate Committee of the Whole
4/28/2026SenateSenate Committee on Business, Labor, & Technology Refer Amended to Appropriations
3/31/2026SenateIntroduced In Senate - Assigned to Business, Labor, & Technology
3/16/2026SenateHouse Third Reading Passed - No Amendments
3/11/2026HouseHouse Second Reading Special Order - Passed with Amendments - Committee, Floor
3/10/2026HouseHouse Committee on Business Affairs & Labor Refer Amended to House Committee of the Whole
3/5/2026HouseHouse Committee on Business Affairs & Labor Lay Over Unamended - Amendment(s) Failed
3/4/2026HouseIntroduced In House - Assigned to Business Affairs & Labor
2/19/2026House
Bill Text
Engrossed
Final Act
House Business Affairs & Labor Preamend
Introduced
Reengrossed
Rerevised
Revised
Senate Appropriations Preamend
Senate Business, Labor, & Technology Preamend
Signed Act
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