DIGEST
The digest printed below was prepared by House Legislative Services. It constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument. The keyword, one-liner, abstract, and digest do not constitute part of the law
or proof or indicia of legislative intent. [R.S. 1:13(B) and 24:177(E)]
HB 554 Engrossed 2015 Regular Session Ritchie
Abstract: Provides relative to embalmers and funeral directors and related establishments.
Present law defines a "branch establishment" as an auxiliary facility or division of a main funeral
establishment licensed pursuant to present law and used for the care, embalming, or disposition of
dead human bodies.
Proposed law defines a "branch establishment" as a licensed funeral establishment devoted to or used
in the care of a deceased person's body, or maintained or publically advertised as the office or place
for the practice of funeral directing. Further provides that branch ownership is identical to the
ownership of the main funeral establishment controlling it, and such branch can practically be served
by the licensed personnel of the main establishment.
Present law defines a "funeral establishment" as any place or premises duly licensed and devoted to
or used in the care and preparation for burial of a deceased person's body, or maintained or publically
advertised as the office or place for the practice of funeral directing. Proposed law changes the term
"burial" to "disposition" but otherwise retains present law.
Present law requires an establishment conducting the business of funeral directing or embalming to
be managed by a funeral director holding a valid license in the state of La. Proposed law retains
present law and excludes a temporary license as such valid license.
Present law requires an establishment conducting the business of funeral directing or embalming to
perform embalming only by an embalmer and funeral director holding a valid license in the state of
La. Proposed law retains present law and authorizes a registered intern, supervised by a state
licensed embalmer and funeral director, to perform embalming.
Present law provides for an establishment conducting the business of funeral directing or embalming
to meet certain personnel and facility requirements. Proposed law retains present law but adds the
requirement for display rooms of such establishments to display funeral merchandise consisting of,
but not limited to, a minimum of 6 adult caskets of a variety of styles and quality.
Proposed law requires embalming facilities and display rooms described in present law and proposed
law to be in every funeral establishment that is not a branch establishment.
(Amends R.S. 37:831(intro. para.) and (10) and (44) and 842(F)(1)-(3))