Title 8, Cemeteries

Every cemetery corporation formed under the laws of the Territory or State of Oklahoma, shall be governed under the laws of the State of Oklahoma, and have such power conferred upon it and be subject to such duties as may be provided by the laws of the state. R.L.1910, § 380.

Debts must be paid. At least fifty percent (50%) of the gross proceeds of sales of blocks, lots, plots, or graves must be applied as often as every six (6) months to the payment of the debts and obligations of such corporation as long as such debts and obligations exist. R.L. 191…

When grounds purchased or otherwise acquired for cemetery purposes have been previously used as a burial ground, those who are lot owners at the time of the purchase continue to own the same and are members of the corporation, as hereinafter provided, with all the privileges the …

At each subsequent election of officers of any such corporation, held after the first annual election, the owner or owners of a lot in the cemetery, and none other, shall be entitled to one vote at such election, or for any other purpose, and no more than one vote; and shall, by …

In addition to the other officers of such corporation, it shall have an officer, known as its superintendent, whose duty it shall be to care for and protect the grounds of such cemetery and its appurtenances, and to enforce its bylaws, in relation to its grounds, and to superinte…

Meetings of board of directors. The board of trustees or directors of such corporation shall hold a regular meeting without notice immediately following the annual meeting of the members on the first Tuesday in July of each and every year, at which meeting it shall elect a presid…

If any provision of this act or application thereof to any person, property or circumstance is held invalid such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to this end the pr…

In any county of this state, the board of county commissioners is hereby authorized and empowered to utilize employees under its jurisdiction and county-owned tools, machinery, equipment, and materials for the purposes of opening and closing graves and maintaining and improving a…

The board of county commissioners is hereby authorized and empowered to accept and use monies and other items of value from private and governmental sources for the purposes of opening and closing graves and maintaining and improving said cemeteries in carrying out the intent and…

Annual meeting of members. The annual meeting of the members of such cemetery association shall be held each year as set by its board of directors or other applicable organization for the purpose of electing directors and transacting such other business as may come before the mee…

Duties of trustees or directors. The trustees or directors shall have the direction and control of the cemetery and other property of the corporation and shall have such other powers and duties not inconsistent with the provisions of this article as the trustees or directors of o…

Any surplus funds which said corporation may have in its treasury shall be invested by the board of directors in some perfectly secure real estate or securities, all of which shall be exempt from taxation, as is the property of other public corporations, and the board of director…

Any person, firm or corporation violating any of the provisions of this Article, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall, upon conviction, be fined not less than Twenty-five nor more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00), and not less than thirty (30) days nor more than s…

The people of the state have a vital interest in the establishment of cemeteries and the maintenance, preservation and operation thereof. To protect the citizens of the state, to promote the public welfare and public health thereof, and to prevent and guard against cemeteries fro…

(a) Any corporation, association, individual, partnership, trust, or any other organization however constituted which after the effective date of this act locates or establishes a cemetery, providing a grave, vault, columbarium, public mausoleum or other receptacle for the burial…

(a) No organization subject to the provisions of this act shall locate or establish a cemetery in any county of this state except after a certificate of authority has been issued therefor by the board of county commissioners of the county wherein such cemetery is to be located an…

Any person who wilfully violates any provision of this act shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be subject to a fine of not less than Fifty Dollars ($50.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding six (6) …

The board of county commissioners may, without fee or charge, transfer and convey any land owned by the county, which at the time of conveyance is being used for cemetery purposes, or is situated adjacent to a tract of land being used for cemetery purposes, to any cemetery associ…

Any cemetery in this state consisting of ten or more grave spaces, lots, crypts or niches, including but not limited to, locations on property held in fee title, by leasehold, estate or easement by the state, any county, municipality, district, religious or fraternal organization…

Any relative of the deceased who wishes to visit an abandoned cemetery which is completely surrounded by privately owned land, for which no public ingress or egress is available, shall have the right to reasonable ingress or egress for the purpose of visiting such cemetery. This …

A. After a period of seventy-five (75) years since the last recorded activity on a burial space, as defined by the Perpetual Care Fund Act, and after a reasonable search for heirs and beneficiaries, an unused burial site shall be abandoned and the right of ownership in the burial…

Every cemetery in this state shall have the power to establish and impose reasonable charges for the burial of persons in the cemetery, unless prohibited by law. Failure to pay such charges shall be a misdemeanor and upon conviction be punishable by a fine of not less than Two Hu…

Any cemetery organized or controlled by any fraternal organization or church society or congregation shall be managed and controlled as provided by its rules and bylaws. R.L.1910, § 381.

This Act shall be known and cited as "The Burial Association Act." Laws 1953, p. 129, § 1.

The following terms as used in this act are defined as follows: 1. "Burial association" or "association" when used without limitation or qualification, shall mean an association, whether incorporated or nonincorporated, licensed pursuant to this act or which is otherwise subject …

A. The State Burial Board is hereby abolished. All powers, duties, responsibilities, property, personnel, assets, liabilities, fund balances, encumbrances and obligations of the State Burial Board are hereby transferred to the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors. All r…

A. There is hereby created a fund to be known as the "State Burial Board Administration and Enforcement Fund," and all fees received by the Board under the provisions of this act shall be paid to the Board and shall by it be deposited to the credit of such Fund. The Board shall h…

That all burial associations now operating or that may be hereafter organized, as incorporated or nonincorporated associations, which are nonprofit sharing in their operations and pay no fees or salaries to any of their officers and have no capital stock and which comply with the…

No burial association shall invest its trust funds except in bonds and securities which are the direct obligations of the United States or in cash deposits in regularly established national or state banks. Laws 1953, p. 131, § 6.

(a) No burial association shall transact any business until the Board has issued a formal license authorizing it to do so, which license shall not issue until it is satisfied that the association has complied with the provisions of this act. Licenses issued to such association sh…

(a) Any burial association may issue a burial agreement containing burial benefits not exceeding twice the burial benefits provided in the Articles of Agreement as specified in Section 5 of this act, by charging and levying twice the membership fee and assessments specified there…

The treasurer of every burial association, who shall be the custodian of the funds of the association, shall file with the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors a bond, in the form prescribed by the Board, running in the favor of the State of Oklahoma, executed …

The Board shall have the authority, after a hearing held, to issue an order directing the officers of an association to reimburse the trust fund for any withdrawal therefrom when the Board finds that the officers have wrongfully paid a claim or have otherwise wrongfully disbursed…

Whenever the Board deems it necessary or advisable, and at least once in each year, it shall examine, through its authorized representative each burial association and thoroughly inspect and examine its financial condition, whether it has complied with the provisions of the law a…

No association and no director, trustee, officer, agent, employee, solicitor, or other representative thereof, or any other person, shall make, issue, circulate, or cause or permit to be made, issued, or circulated, a statement of any sort misrepresenting the terms, conditions or…

Discrimination between members of the same class in the amount of assessments, dues, and fees charged for or on any agreement, or in any benefits payable thereon, or in any of the terms or conditions of such agreement, or in any manner whatsoever is prohibited. This Act shall not…

Every burial association doing business in the State of Oklahoma under the provisions of Sections 201 et seq. of this title shall, annually, on or before the last day of June, report under oath of the president and secretary of said association to the Oklahoma State Board of Emba…

If the Board is of the opinion upon examination or from other evidence, that any burial association: (1) is in an insolvent condition in that it fails and is unable to provide any burial benefit in accordance with the terms and conditions of its burial agreement, or (2) has not c…

No person or party other than the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors may appear in the courts of this state requesting the appointment of a receiver of a burial association. Laws 1953, p. 134, § 16; Laws 1992, c. 147, § 8, eff. July 1, 1992.

(a) No burial association shall merge, consolidate, or reinsure all of its business with another burial association, except with the approval of the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors. (b) A copy of the agreement or document effecting such merger, consolidati…

Any person, who for a consideration solicits, negotiates, or effects, or offers to solicit, negotiate, or effect, any burial agreement in this state for or on behalf of any burial association shall be a burial agent within the intent of this Act, and shall become subject to all t…

No person shall, in this state, engage directly or indirectly, in the business as a burial agent for any burial association unless such person holds a burial agent license authorizing him to represent such burial association. Laws 1953, p. 134, § 19.

(a) Application for a burial agent license shall be made to the Board upon a form prescribed by the Board. (b) Upon receipt of the application the Board shall promptly determine the general reputation and character of the applicant as to honesty, integrity, and responsibility. If…

(a) Every burial association desiring to appoint a person as its agent shall apply to the Board, upon a requisition form prescribed by the Board, for a burial agent license for said person. The requisition of the burial association shall be accompanied by a burial agent license f…

(a) The Board may revoke or refuse to renew any burial agent license, if, after a hearing held, the Board finds: (1) That the agent has obtained or attempted to obtain any burial agent license through willful misrepresentation or fraud. (2) That the agent has materially misrepres…

A hearing before the Board for the purpose of revoking or refusing to renew a burial agent license shall be had only upon a sworn complaint signed by a complainant, or a show cause order issued by the Board, after a copy thereof has been served on the agent and the burial associa…

(a) No burial agreement shall be issued or delivered in this state by a burial association unless through its licensed resident agent. (b) No burial association or burial agent shall pay, allow or give, directly or indirectly, any money, commissions, or other valuable considerati…

Any person who shall solicit and shall procure an application for a burial agreement shall, in all matters relating to such application and the agreement issued in consequence thereof, be regarded as the agent of the burial association issuing the agreement and not the agent of t…

(a) In any proceeding arising under this act, any member of the Board, or any interested party, may take depositions as in civil proceedings and the Board may, on its own motion, and shall, upon request of any interested party, subpoena witnesses or documentary evidence, administ…

(a) The provisions of this Act shall apply to every burial association, corporation, partnership or person now engaged in the business of burial insurance or that hereafter engages in the business of burial insurance, which have not been issued a license to do business in the Sta…