RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 25 (HB 554) 2015 Regular Session Ritchie
Prior law defined a "branch establishment" as an auxiliary facility or division of a main
funeral establishment licensed and used for the care, embalming, or disposition of dead
human bodies.
New law changes prior law to define 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. Provides that
branch ownership is identical to the ownership of the main funeral establishment controlling
the branch, and such branch can practically be served by the licensed personnel of the main
establishment.
Existing 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.
New law changes the term "burial" to "disposition."
Existing 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.
New law excludes a temporary license as such valid license.
Existing 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. New law authorizes a registered intern, supervised by a state
licensed embalmer and funeral director, to perform embalming.
Existing law provides for an establishment conducting the business of funeral directing or
embalming to meet certain personnel and facility requirements. New law 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.
New law requires embalming facilities and display rooms described in new law and existing
law to be in every funeral establishment except a branch establishment.
Effective August 1, 2015.
(Amends R.S. 37:831(intro. para.) and (10) and (44) and 842(F)(1)-(3))