UNOFFICIAL COPY 24 RS BR 1843
Page 1 of 1
XXXX 1/31/2024 4:37 PM Jacketed
AN ACT relating to cremation of dead bodies. 1
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 2
ď˘Section 1. KRS 72.450 is amended to read as follows: 3
(1) A coroner who has possession of a dead body or a part thereof shall make a bona 4
fide attempt to notify the spouse, if any, or next of kin of the decedent's death. In 5
the event the coroner is unable to locate the spouse, if any, or next of kin, he or she 6
may cause the body to be buried or cremated at the expense of the fiscal court, 7
consolidated local government, or urban-county government, whichever is 8
appropriate. The decision between burial or cremation shall be made by the 9
coroner, fiscal court, consolidated local government, or urban-county 10
government that has responsibility for the expense pursuant to this subsection. 11
(2) In the event the body is buried or cremated at public expense, the coroner shall take 12
possession of all money or other property found on or belonging to the decedent 13
and shall deliver same to the fiscal court, consolidated local government, or urban-14
county government, whichever is appropriate. Any money or other property found 15
on the body of the decedent or belonging to him or her shall be delivered by the 16
coroner to the fiscal court, consolidated local government, or urban-county 17
government, whichever is appropriate, to help defray burial or cremation expenses. 18
Any excess funds shall escheat to such governmental agency one (1) year 19
thereafter. 20
(3) In lieu of having an unclaimed body buried or cremated at public expense, the 21
coroner may deliver such body or part thereof to a state medical school in 22
accordance with the provisions of KRS 311.300 to 311.350. 23