EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1052
102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR TRENT.
4307S.02I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal sections 333.041 and 333.042, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections
relating to embalmers and funeral directors, with a delayed effective date.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Sections 333.041 and 333.042, RSMo, are 1
repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be 2
known as sections 333.041 and 333.042, to read as follows:3
333.041. 1. [Each applicant for a license to practice 1
funeral directing shall furnish evidence to establish to the 2
satisfaction of the board that he or she is at least 3
eighteen years of age, and possesses a high school diploma, 4
a general equivalency diploma, or equivalent thereof, as 5
determined, at its discretion, by the board. 6
2. Every person desiring to enter the profession of 7
embalming dead human bodies within the state of Missour i and 8
who is enrolled in a program accredited by the American 9
Board of Funeral Service Education, any successor 10
organization, or other accrediting entity as approved by the 11
board shall register with the board as a practicum student 12
upon the form provided by the board. After such 13
registration, a student may assist, under the direct 14
supervision of Missouri licensed embalmers and funeral 15
directors, in Missouri licensed funeral establishments, 16
while serving his or her practicum. The form for 17 SB 1052 2
registration as a practicum student shall be accompanied by 18
a fee in an amount established by the board. 19
3.] Each applicant for a student license to practice 20
embalming shall submit an application to the board, pay all 21
application fees, and furnish evidence to establish to the 22
satisfaction of the board that he or she: 23
(1) Is at least eighteen years of age, and possesses a 24
high school diploma, a general equivalency diploma, or 25
equivalent thereof, as determined, at its discretion, by the 26
board; and 27
(2) Is currently enrolled in a funeral service 28
education program or has completed a funeral service 29
education program accredited by the American Board of 30
Funeral Service Education, any successor organization, or 31
other accrediting entity as appro ved by the board. [If an 32
applicant does not complete all requirements for licensure 33
within five years from the date of his or her completion of 34
an accredited program, his or her registration as an 35
apprentice embalmer shall be automatically cancelled. The 36
applicant shall be required to file a new application and 37
pay applicable fees. No previous apprenticeship shall be 38
considered for the new application; 39
(3) Upon due examination administered by the board, is 40
possessed of a knowledge of the su bjects of embalming, 41
anatomy, pathology, bacteriology, mortuary administration, 42
chemistry, restorative art, together with statutes, rules 43
and regulations governing the care, custody, shelter and 44
disposition of dead human bodies and the transportation 45
thereof or has passed the national board examination of the 46
Conference of Funeral Service Examining Boards. If any 47
applicant fails to pass the state examination, he or she may 48
retake the examination at the next regular examination 49 SB 1052 3
meeting. The applicant shall notify the board office of his 50
or her desire to retake the examination at least thirty days 51
prior to the date of the examination. Each time the 52
examination is retaken, the applicant shall pay a new 53
examination fee in an amount established by the board; 54
(4) Has been employed full time in funeral service in 55
a licensed funeral establishment and has personally embalmed 56
at least twenty-five dead human bodies under the personal 57
supervision of an embalmer who holds a current and valid 58
Missouri embalmer's license during an apprenticeship of not 59
less than twelve consecutive months. "Personal supervision" 60
means that the licensed embalmer shall be physically present 61
during the entire embalming process in the first six months 62
of the apprenticeship period and physically present at the 63
beginning of the embalming process and available for 64
consultation and personal inspection within a period of not 65
more than one hour in the remaining six months of the 66
apprenticeship period. All transcripts and other records 67
filed with the board shall become a part of the board files. ] 68
2. After a student's application has been approved by 69
the board, student licensees who are enrolled in or have 70
completed a funeral service education program may assist , 71
under the direct supervision of an embalmer licensed 72
pursuant to this chapter, in an establishment licensed for 73
embalming pursuant to this chapter. Student licensees shall 74
not assist when not under such supervision. Each student 75
license is only authorized to work at establishments and 76
under only those embalmers licensed with the board. 77
3. In order to be eligible for full licensure, a 78
student licensee shall: 79
(1) Submit an official transcript to the board after 80
completing a funeral ser vice education program accredited by 81 SB 1052 4
the American Board of Funeral Service Education, any 82
successor organization, or any other accrediting entity as 83
approved by the board; 84
(2) Demonstrate that he or she has completed a 85
qualifying apprenticeship o f no less than six months; 86
(3) Demonstrate that he or she has personally embalmed 87
at least twenty-five dead human bodies under the supervision 88
of an embalmer who is licensed pursuant to this chapter, the 89
first twelve of which shall be under the di rect supervision 90
of the licensed embalmer; and 91
(4) Pass the National Board Examination - Sciences and 92
the Missouri law examination, and if required to 93
successfully complete the student licensee's funeral service 94
education program, the National Bo ard Examination - Arts or 95
the State Board Examination - Arts. 96
Persons licensed pursuant to this subsection may, at his or 97
her election and at any time, sit for the National Board 98
Examination - Arts for the purpose of potential reciprocity 99
with any other state that may require such examination. The 100
licensed embalmer supervising a student licensee shall 101
inspect all bodies embalmed by the student licensee. The 102
term "direct supervision" as used in this subsection means 103
that the licensed embalmer is ph ysically present with the 104
student licensee and the dead human body at the beginning of 105
the embalming process and available for consultation within 106
one hour for the remainder of the embalming process. 107
4. [If the applicant does not complete the appl ication 108
process within the five years after his or her completion of 109
an approved program, then he or she must file a new 110
application and no fees paid previously shall apply toward 111
the license fee. 112 SB 1052 5
5. Examinations required by this section and sect ion 113
333.042 shall be held at least twice a year at times and 114
places fixed by the board. The board shall by rule and 115
regulation prescribe the standard for successful completion 116
of the examinations. 117
6. Upon establishment of his or her qualificatio ns as 118
specified by this section or section 333.042, the board 119
shall issue to the applicant a license to practice funeral 120
directing or embalming, as the case may require, and shall 121
register the applicant as a duly licensed funeral director 122
or a duly licensed embalmer. Any person having the 123
qualifications required by this section and section 333.042 124
may be granted both a license to practice funeral directing 125
and to practice embalming. 126
7. The board shall, upon request, waive any 127
requirement of this chapter and issue a temporary funeral 128
director's license, valid for six months, to the surviving 129
spouse or next of kin or the personal representative of a 130
licensed funeral director, or to the spouse, next of kin, 131
employee or conservator of a licen sed funeral director 132
disabled because of sickness, mental incapacity or injury ] A 133
student licensee shall have five years to successfully 134
complete the requirements for licensure provided by this 135
section. If the student licensee fails to complete the 136
requirements within five years, the application for 137
licensure shall be cancelled. If the application is 138
cancelled, the student licensee shall be required to file a 139
new application and pay any applicable fees. No previous 140
apprenticeship shall be consid ered for the new application. 141
If the student licensee completes the requirements prior to 142
the expiration of five years, the student licensee can apply 143
for an embalmer's license. 144 SB 1052 6
5. For purposes of this section, a qualifying 145
embalmer's apprentice ship is one that meets the minimum hour 146
requirements as set by the board and where the supervising 147
embalmer has attested that the student licensee has obtained 148
the minimal required skills to practice embalming . 149
333.042. 1. Every person desiring to engage in the 1
practice of funeral directing as an apprentice in this state 2
shall obtain a provisional funeral director license from the 3
board. To apply for a provisional license, the applicant 4
shall make application with the board, pay the current 5
application fees, and furnish evidence to establish to the 6
satisfaction of the board that he or she: 7
(1) Is at least eighteen years of age; and 8
(2) Will work as an apprentice funeral director under 9
personal supervision of a fu neral director licensed pursuant 10
to this chapter. The applicant shall provide to the board 11
the name and license number of the funeral director who will 12
perform his or her supervision and the location where the 13
applicant will practice. The supervising funeral director 14
shall attest to the board that the apprenticeship will meet 15
the requirements of this section. 16
The term "personal supervision" as used in this subsection 17
means that the licensed funeral director shall be physically 18
present in the build ing during any arrangement conferences, 19
but the licensed funeral director shall not be required to 20
be present in the building when the apprentice performs any 21
other functions relating to the practice of funeral 22
directing. 23
2. An applicant for a pr ovisional funeral director 24
license under subsection 1 of this section shall have three 25
years to complete the requirements for licensure under this 26 SB 1052 7
section. If the applicant fails to complete the 27
requirements within three years, the application for 28
licensure shall be cancelled. If the application is 29
cancelled, the applicant shall be required to file a new 30
application and pay any applicable fees. No previous 31
apprenticeship shall be considered for the new application. 32
3. Every person desiring to enter the profession of 33
funeral directing in this state shall make application with 34
the [state] board [of embalmers and funeral directors and ], 35
pay the current application [and examination] fees[. Except 36
as otherwise provided in section 41.950, app licants not 37
entitled to a license pursuant to section 333.051 or 324.009 38
shall serve an apprenticeship for at least twelve 39
consecutive months in a funeral establishment licensed for 40
the care and preparation for burial and transportation of 41
the human dead in this state or in another state which has 42
established standards for admission to practice funeral 43
directing equal to, or more stringent than, the requirements 44
for admission to practice funeral directing in this state. 45
The applicant shall devote at least fifteen hours per week 46
to his or her duties as an apprentice under the supervision 47
of a Missouri licensed funeral director. Such applicant 48
shall submit proof to the board, on forms provided by the 49
board, that the applicant has arranged and co nducted ten 50
funeral services during the applicant's apprenticeship under 51
the supervision of a Missouri licensed funeral director. 52
Upon completion of the apprenticeship, the applicant shall 53
appear before the board to be tested on the applicant's 54
legal and practical knowledge of funeral directing, funeral 55
home licensing, preneed funeral contracts and the care, 56
custody, shelter, disposition and transportation of dead 57
human bodies. Upon acceptance of the application and fees 58 SB 1052 8
by the board, an applican t shall have twenty-four months to 59
successfully complete the requirements for licensure found 60
in this section or the application for licensure shall be 61
cancelled. 62
2. If a person applies for a limited license to work 63
only in a funeral establishmen t which is licensed only for 64
cremation, including transportation of dead human bodies to 65
and from the funeral establishment, he or she shall make 66
application, pay the current application and examination fee 67
and successfully complete the Missouri law ex amination. He 68
or she shall be exempt from the twelve -month apprenticeship 69
required by subsection 1 of this section and the practical 70
examination before the board. If a person has a limited 71
license issued pursuant to this subsection, he or she may 72
obtain a full funeral director's license if he or she 73
fulfills the apprenticeship and successfully completes the 74
funeral director practical examination. 75
3. If an individual is a Missouri licensed embalmer or 76
has completed a program accredited by the American Board of 77
Funeral Service Education, any successor organization, or 78
other accrediting entity as approved by the board or has 79
successfully completed a course of study in funeral 80
directing offered by an institution accredited by a 81
recognized national, regional or state accrediting body and 82
approved by the state board of embalmers and funeral 83
directors, and desires to enter the profession of funeral 84
directing in this state, the individual shall comply with 85
all the requirements for licensure a s a funeral director 86
pursuant to subsection 1 of section 333.041 and subsection 1 87
of this section; however, the individual is exempt from the 88
twelve-month apprenticeship required by subsection 1 of this 89 SB 1052 9
section.], and furnish evidence to establish to t he 90
satisfaction of the board that he or she: 91
(1) Is at least eighteen years of age and possesses a 92
high school diploma, a general equivalency diploma, or 93
equivalent thereof, as determined, at its discretion, by the 94
board; 95
(2) Passed the Missouri law examination; and 96
(3) Has proof of successful completion of: 97
(a) A program accredited by the American Board of 98
Funeral Service Education, any successor organization, or 99
any other accrediting entity as approved by the board; or 100
(b) A qualifying apprenticeship of at least twelve 101
months during which the applicant establishes to the 102
satisfaction of the board that he or she has conducted and 103
arranged at least ten funerals and has passed the National 104
Board Examination - Arts or the State Board Examination - 105
Arts administered by the International Conference of Funeral 106
Service Examining Boards or any other equivalent agency 107
approved by the board; or 108
(c) A qualifying apprenticeship of at least eighteen 109
months during which th e applicant establishes to the 110
satisfaction of the board that he or she has conducted and 111
arranged at least twenty -five funerals. 112
For purposes of this subsection, a qualifying apprenticeship 113
is one that meets those requirements as set out by the board 114
regarding the number of hours worked by the apprentice and 115
the funeral directing related tasks an apprentice shall be 116
attested to by the supervising funeral director that he or 117
she has successfully accomplished. Any licensed funeral 118
director who has not previously successfully passed the 119
National Board Examination - Arts may, at his or her 120 SB 1052 10
election, sit for such examination at any time upon written 121
request to the board. 122
4. A person holding a funeral director limited license 123
is only authorized to work in a funeral establishment 124
licensed only for cremation and which is not licensed for 125
any other funeral establishment function. A person holding 126
a funeral director limited license may perform the duties 127
related to cremation including, but not limited to, 128
transportation of dead human bodies to and from the funeral 129
establishment. Every person desiring to obtain a funeral 130
director limited license in this state shall make 131
application with the board, pay the current application 132
fees, and furnish evidence to establish to the satisfaction 133
of the board that he or she: 134
(1) Is at least eighteen years of age; and 135
(2) Has successfully completed the Missouri law 136
examination. 137
If a person has a funeral director limited license issued 138
under this section, he or she may obtain a full funeral 139
director's license without taking the Missouri law 140
examination, provided that he or she meets all other funeral 141
director license requirements of this section. 142
5. Upon establishment of his or her q ualifications as 143
specified by this section or section 333.041, the board 144
shall issue to the applicant a license to practice the 145
professions for which he or she is qualified. 146
Section B. Section A of this act shall become 1
effective August 28, 2025. 2