COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.: 1151H.01I Bill No.: HB 557 Subject: Department of Health and Senior Services; Funerals and Funeral Directors Type: Original Date: January 30, 2023Bill Summary:This proposal modifies provisions relating to deceased persons.
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUNDFUND AFFECTEDFY 2024FY 2025FY 2026Total Estimated Net
Effect on General
Revenue $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON OTHER STATE FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2024FY 2025FY 2026Total Estimated Net
Effect on Other State
Funds $0$0$0
Numbers within parentheses: () indicate costs or losses. L.R. No. 1151H.01I
Bill No. HB 557
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January 30, 2023
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ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2024FY 2025FY 2026Total Estimated Net
Effect on All Federal
Funds $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)FUND AFFECTEDFY 2024FY 2025FY 2026Total Estimated Net
Effect on FTE 000
☐ Estimated Net Effect (expenditures or reduced revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any
of the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
☐ Estimated Net Effect (savings or increased revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any of
the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2024FY 2025FY 2026Local Government(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000) L.R. No. 1151H.01I
Bill No. HB 557
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January 30, 2023
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FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
§§193.015, 193.145, 193.175, 194.010, 194.105, and 194.119 – Deceased persons
Officials from the Department of Commerce and Insurance, the Department of Health and
Senior Services, the Office of the State Public Defender, the Newton County Health
Department, the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services and the Office of the State Courts
Administrator each assume the proposal will have no fiscal impact on their respective
organizations. Oversight does not have any information to the contrary. Therefore, Oversight
will reflect a zero impact in the fiscal note for these agencies.
Officials from the St. Louis County Health Department state if HB557 was in effect, the
Medical Examiners’ Office would need to hire an extra employee to manage all the death
certificates and mark as pending and the other (current employee) to manage the affidavit
process for all the death certificates. The cost would about $40,000 per year for 2024, 2025, and
2026. Increases to employee benefits would likely occur.
Oversight does not have any information to the contrary. Oversight will reflect a negative fiscal
impact of Unknown, exceeding $40,000 annually for local governments as it is possible other
counties may be impacted by this legislation.
Rule Promulgation
Officials from the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules assume this proposal is not
anticipated to cause a fiscal impact beyond its current appropriation.
Officials from the Office of the Secretary of State notes many bills considered by the General
Assembly include provisions allowing or requiring agencies to submit rules and regulations to
implement the act. The Secretary of State's office is provided with core funding to handle a
certain amount of normal activity resulting from each year's legislative session. The fiscal impact
for this fiscal note to Secretary of State's office for Administrative Rules is less than $5,000. The
Secretary of State's office recognizes that this is a small amount and does not expect that
additional funding would be required to meet these costs. However, they also recognize that
many such bills may be passed by the General Assembly in a given year and that collectively the
costs may be in excess of what their office can sustain with their core budget. Therefore, they
reserve the right to request funding for the cost of supporting administrative rules requirements
should the need arise based on a review of the finally approved bills signed by the governor. L.R. No. 1151H.01I
Bill No. HB 557
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January 30, 2023
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Oversight only reflects the responses received from state agencies and political subdivisions;
however, other local public health agencies, nursing homes, hospitals and coroners were
requested to respond to this proposed legislation but did not. A listing of political subdivisions
included in the Missouri Legislative Information System (MOLIS) database is available upon
request.
FISCAL IMPACT –
State Government
FY 2024
(10 Mo.)
FY 2025FY 2026$0$0$0FISCAL IMPACT –
Local Government
FY 2024
(10 Mo.)
FY 2025FY 2026LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS -
COUNTIES
Costs – Counties
(§§193.015 to
194.119)
Increased personal
service and related
costs
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
ESTIMATED NET
EFFECT ON
LOCAL
GOVERNMENTS
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
(Unknown, greater
than $40,000)
FISCAL IMPACT – Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal. L.R. No. 1151H.01I
Bill No. HB 557
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January 30, 2023
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FISCAL DESCRIPTION
Current law requires that if a cause of death cannot be determined after 72 hours, the attending
medical professional must give the funeral director in charge of final disposition of the dead
body notice. This bill requires that the attending medical professional complete the medical
certification by indicating the certification is pending investigation, then amend the certificate of
death upon conclusion of the investigation.
Under the provisions of this bill, the Department of Health and Senior Services may issue rules
and regulations, setting forth health and safety requirements for the transportation of dead human
bodies placed on common carriers in the state. The bill repeals current provisions related to the
transportation of dead bodies.
The bill also clarifies that for the right of sepulcher, next-of kin shall only include the surviving
spouse if there has not been an action for the dissolution of the marriage filed. If further allows
the next-of-kin to delegate control of the final disposition of the remains of any dead human
being to an agent.
This legislation is not federally mandated and would not duplicate any other program, but may
require additional capital improvements or rental space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Department of Commerce and Insurance
Department of Health and Senior Services
Office of the Secretary of State
Office of the State Public Defender
Newton County Health Department
St. Louis County Health Department
Missouri Office of Prosecution Services
Office of the State Courts Administrator
Julie MorffRoss StropeDirectorAssistant DirectorJanuary 30, 2023January 30, 2023