# Maryland HB 0698: State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors – Board Operations and Regulation of Crematories and Reduction Facilities Maryland HB 0698, State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors – Board Operations and Regulation of Crematories and Reduction Facilities, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Harry Bhandari (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-04-28 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 188) (as of 2026-10-19). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0698-2026RS - As of: 2026-10-19 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Maryland HB 0698 - State: Maryland - Session: 2026 Regular Session - Title: State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors – Board Operations and Regulation of Crematories and Reduction Facilities - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2026-02-02 - Last action: 2026-04-28, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 188 - Sponsor: Harry Bhandari (Democratic) - Cosponsors: 13 - Subjects: Health Occupations, Business Regulation, Public Health, Accountants, Addresses, Applicants and Applications, Arbitration -see also- Mediation, Assessments and Taxation, Department of, Attorneys, Cemeteries, Certifications, Circuit Courts, Commerce and Business -see also- ElectrComm; ForeignTr; etc., Committee Changes, Committees and Commissions, Complaints, Consumer Protection, Contracts -see also- Procurement, Corporations -see also- Municipal Corps; Public Corps & Inst, Court Costs, Court Orders, Cremation, Crimes and Punishments -see also- Penalties and Sentnc; etc., Discipline, Disclosure, Electronic Communication, Ethics, Evidence, Fees -see also- Attys' Fees; Devt Fees & Taxes, Fines -see also- Penalties and Sentences, Forms, Fraud -see also- Forgery, Funerals, Goods and Services -see also- Retail Sales; TermnSvc; TrfGds, Hazardous and Toxic Substances -see also- Asbestos; Radiatn, Health -see also- COVID19; EnvHlth; MedCon; etc., Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Hearings, Inspections -see also- Motor Vehicle Inspection, Investigations and Inquiries -see also- Crim Bckgrnd Invest, Job Training -see also- Continuing Ed; Vocational Rehab, Laboratories, Labor, Department of, Liability, Limited Liability Companies, Medical Conditions -see also- AIDS; COVID-19; rabies, Morticians, Names, Notices, Oaths, Partnerships, Penalties and Sentences -see also- Death Penalty, Permits -see also- Building Permits, Personal Identifying Information, Postal Service, Privacy, Public Information, Records -see also- Land Records; Vital Records, Registration -see also- Motor Vehicle Registration, Reports, Revenue and Taxes -see also- (specific tax), Rules and Regulations, Safety -see also- Occupational Safety, Settlement Procedures, Standards and Best Practices, Studies -see also- Commitees & Commissions; Reports, Subpoenas, Time, Veterans, Weights and Measures - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 2 (178 yes, 0 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 16 ## Summary No summary available. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Good-faith veteran transfers gain liability protection: benefit, low. Licensed funeral homes and crematory permit holders receive civil-liability protection for covered transfers made in good faith. The transfer must involve unclaimed cremated remains of a veteran or eligible dependent. The remains must go to a veterans service organization for disposition as provide… - Board cannot charge per cremation: benefit, low. The Board cannot charge a crematory a fee for each cremation. This ban does not eliminate registration or permit fees. The law gives no amount for the prohibited charge or guaranteed savings for customers. - More inspection capacity for funeral services: benefit, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Board must employ at least two inspectors. It may inspect covered operators' sites and records after a written complaint or on its own initiative. Beginning in fiscal year 2028, a position number must be created for a full-time Board inspector. The law states no salary o… - Safety checks before reduced soil release: benefit, low. The Board must set safety rules for natural organic reduction, which turns human remains into soil. Rules must require advance written notice about legal restrictions, operator training, and records of minimum process temperatures and durations. Reduction is barred when remains are known or reasona… - Higher fines for funeral service providers: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, the Board can fine providers up to $10,000 per violation, up from $5,000. The daily maximum for violations continuing past the correction deadline rises from $500 to $1,000. These limits apply under both registration and permit rules, including violations of Board orders. Th… - Registration required for cremation service providers: cost, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, individuals must register before operating covered crematories or reduction facilities or offering covered services, unless exempt. Applicants must be at least 18, meet character and facility-affiliation requirements, and hold approved certification and required training. Th… - Pet cremation loses ongoing care duty: cost, low. The law removes crematory operators and cremation-service sales from this statutory ongoing-care duty for pet remains. Covered pet burial-lot or burial-right sales still carry the duty when permanent care is stated or implied. The change does not specify any refund, price change, or payment. - Prepaid trusts lose crematory investment restriction: cost, low. Required prepaid funeral trusts lose a specific restriction on investments in crematory property, buildings, facilities, and permanent improvements. The corresponding restriction on cemetery property and facilities remains. This removes one safeguard governing prepaid money, not every trust investm… - Veteran remains process is repealed: cost, low. The law repeals a statutory process for specified unclaimed cremated, hydrolyzed, and soil remains. That process included sharing identifying information with veterans service organizations to check veteran or eligible-dependent status. Its associated response, transfer, and notification requiremen… - Facility businesses face permits and qualifications: mixed, medium. Beginning July 1, 2026, most facility businesses must be corporations, limited liability companies, or partnerships with Board permits. Exceptions cover registered operators working as sole proprietors and registrants employed by sole proprietors. Applicants must name a separate registered operator… - Easier complaints but narrower legal options: mixed, low. Registration and permit complaints must be written and state specific facts, but no longer need to be sworn. Required settlement attempts, binding arbitration, and the specified court appeal of complaint dismissals are removed. After investigation, the Board must offer notice and a hearing for supp… - Prepaid funeral contracts lose specific rules: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, the law repeals specific prepaid funeral-contract rules covering authorized sellers, contract types, and insurance or annuity funding. This removes those statutory requirements and protections; the supplied provision does not identify replacement rules. The contract definiti… - Prepaid sales coverage expands and narrows: mixed, low. The law removes subtitle exclusions for burial-space sales, specified prepaid funeral contracts, and private family cemetery sales. Those activities no longer qualify for exclusion on those grounds. At the same time, the definition of prepaid services covers services connected with burial and no lo… - Operators face renewals but can restore registration: mixed, low. Operator registrations expire after two years; renewal requires continued qualifications, an application, required documents, and a Board-set fee. Each renewal lasts two more years. The Board must restore expired registration when applicants meet renewal requirements, pay a reinstatement fee, and s… - Funeral enforcement expands but changes scope: mixed, low. The Board can deny or discipline registrations for misconduct, including fraud, inadequate supervision, inspection refusal, and disobeying orders, after required hearings. Beginning July 1, 2026, it can seek court orders stopping covered work while charges that could lead to suspension or revocatio… - New regulator for cremation and reduction: mixed, low. Beginning July 1, 2026, crematory and reduction-facility oversight moves to the State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors. These facilities leave the Office of Cemetery Oversight's framework, while cemetery and burial-goods rules remain there. The Board must establish registration, permits, f… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Harry Bhandari (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Heather Bagnall (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Bonnie Cullison (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Pam Lanman Guzzone (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Terri L. Hill (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Thomas S. Hutchinson (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Nicholaus R. Kipke (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ashanti Martinez (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: April Rose (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Samuel I. Rosenberg (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Jennifer White Holland (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 42 | 0 | 3 | | 2026-03-23 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 136 | 0 | 4 | ## Actions (15) - 2026-04-28: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 188 - 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (House) - 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (42-0) (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Second Reading Passed (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Favorable Adopted (Senate) - 2026-04-09: Favorable Report by Finance (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Referred Finance (Senate) - 2026-03-23: Third Reading Passed (136-0) (House) - 2026-03-23: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House) - 2026-03-23: Favorable with Amendments {453827/1 Adopted (House) - 2026-03-23: Favorable with Amendments Report by Health (House) - 2026-02-05: Hearing 2/18 at 1:30 p.m. (House) - 2026-02-05: Hearing canceled (House) - 2026-02-04: Hearing 2/18 at 1:00 p.m. (House) - 2026-02-02: First Reading Health (House) ## Bill text - Enacted, 2026-04-28: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_188_hb0698t.pdf) - Third Reading, 2026-03-23: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0698t.pdf) - First Reading, 2026-02-02: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0698f.pdf) ## Related bills - SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law) - SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law) - SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) - SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law) - SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law) - HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law) ## Sources - [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_188_hb0698t.pdf) - [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0698t.pdf) - [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb0698f.pdf) ## Related - [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS) - [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS) - [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS) - [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS) - [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS) - [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS) - [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills) - [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0698-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).