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53	53	STATE OF OKLAHOMA
54	54
55	55	1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
56	56
57	57	SENATE BILL 957 By: Jett
58	58
59	59
60	60
61	61
62	62
63	63	AS INTRODUCED
64	64
65	65	An Act relating to Funeral Services Licensing Act;
66	66	amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 396.3, as amended by
67	67	Section 1, Chapter 217, O.S.L. 2022 (59 O.S. Supp.
68	68	2022, Section 396.3), which relates to the
69	69	qualifications and examination of funeral directors
70	70	and embalmers; removing required accreditation for
71	71	education of certain licensure; amending 59 O.S.
72	72	2021, Section 396.8, as amended by Section 2, Chapter
73	73	217, O.S.L. 2022 (59 O.S. Supp. 2022, Section 396.8) ,
74	74	which relates to reciprocity ; providing exception;
75	75	updating statutory language; updating statutory
76	76	reference; and providing an effective date.
77	77
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79	79
80	80
81	81	BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STAT E OF OKLAHOMA:
82	82	SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 396.3, as
83	83	amended by Section 1, Chapter 217, O.S.L. 2022 (59 O.S. Supp. 2022,
84	84	Section 396.3), is amended to read as foll ows:
85	85	Section 396.3. A. The Oklahoma Funeral Board shall determine
86	86	the qualifications neces sary to enable any person to practice as a
87	87	funeral director or embalmer, and prescribe the requirements for a
88	88	funeral establishment or commercial embalming establis hment. The
89	89	Board shall examine all applicants for licenses to practice as a
90	90	funeral director or embalmer. The Board shall issue the proper
91	91
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142	142	licenses to applicants who successfully pass such examination and
143	143	qualify pursuant to any additional requirements t he Board may
144	144	prescribe.
145	145	B. 1. Except as provided in subsection C of this section, the
146	146	minimum requirements for a license to practice funeral directing or
147	147	embalming, or both, are as follows:
148	148	An applicant for a license to practice funeral directing or
149	149	embalming shall be at least twenty (20) yea rs of age, a legal
150	150	resident of this state, and a citizen or permanent resident of the
151	151	United States. In addition, an applicant shall be a graduate of a
152	152	program of mortuary science accredited by the American Board of
153	153	Funeral Service Education (ABFSE), and have served one (1) year as a
154	154	registered apprentice. The applicant may serve as a registered
155	155	apprentice prior to enrollment in an approved school of mortuary
156	156	science, or subsequent to graduation from the school, and pass the
157	157	International Conference of Fu neral Service Examining Board Boards
158	158	National Board Science Examination and/or Arts Examination with a
159	159	seventy-five (75) or higher score on each exam.
160	160	2. Curriculum of study for an embalmer and/or funeral director
161	161	is a program of mortuary science which sh all be that prescribed by
162	162	the American Board of Funeral Service Education.
163	163	C. 1. If a person chooses not to meet the qualifications in
164	164	subsection B of this section for a funeral director, the person may
165	165	alternatively qualify for a license to practice fun eral directing,
166	166
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217	217	but not embalming, upon meeting the eligibility requirements of this
218	218	subsection as follows: An applicant for a license to practice
219	219	funeral directing shall be at least twenty (20) years of age, a
220	220	legal resident of this state, and a citizen or permanent resident of
221	221	the United States. An applicant is required to complete a funeral
222	222	director course of study approved by the Oklahoma Funeral Board and
223	223	that is administered by a program of funeral service/mort uary
224	224	science accredited by the American Board of Funeral Service
225	225	Education (ABFSE). The funeral director course of study shall
226	226	include at least thirty (30) semester hours or equivalent closely
227	227	following the ABFSE curriculum standard , limited to only: Busi ness
228	228	Management, Cremation, Social Scie nces/Humanities, Legal, Ethical,
229	229	Regulatory, plus essential elements of embalming, restorative art,
230	230	general concerns when dealing with human remains, a practicum
231	231	experience, and preparation for the required board exam s. In
232	232	addition to the funeral director course of study the applicant is
233	233	required to complete a twelve -month minimum term as a registered
234	234	apprentice with employment at a licensed establishment and must have
235	235	assisted with twenty -five arrangement conferences and assisted with
236	236	twenty-five separate funeral or memorial services under the
237	237	supervision of a licensed funeral director in this state. The
238	238	applicant may serve as a registered apprentice prior to enrollment
239	239	in an approved school of mortuary science, conc urrently while in
240	240
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291	291	mortuary school, or s ubsequent to completion of the funeral director
292	292	course of study.
293	293	2. Curriculum of study for a funeral director license shall be
294	294	in a program of mortuary science which shall be that prescribed by
295	295	the Oklahoma Funeral Board. An applicant must pay all fees as
296	296	provided in Section 396.4 of this title and pass an exam provided by
297	297	the International Conference of Funeral Service Examining Board
298	298	Boards with a score of seventy -five (75) or higher as well as pass a
299	299	law exam provided by the Oklahoma Funeral Board, wi th a score of
300	300	seventy-five (75) or higher. A license to practice as a funeral
301	301	director issued pursuant to this subsection shall be restricted to
302	302	funeral director, and the licensee shall not be eligible to practice
303	303	as the funeral director in charge as defi ned in Section 396.2 of
304	304	this title.
305	305	3. If a person chooses not to meet the qualifications in
306	306	subsection B of this section for an embalmer, the person may
307	307	alternatively qualify for a license to practice embalming, upo n
308	308	meeting the eligibility requirements of this subsection as follows:
309	309	An applicant for a license of this state, a citizen or permanent
310	310	resident of the United States, and of good moral character. An
311	311	applicant is required to complete an embalmer course of study
312	312	approved by the Oklahoma Funeral Board and that is administered by a
313	313	program of funeral service/mortuary science accredited by the
314	314	American Board of Funeral Service Education (ABFSE). The embalmer
315	315
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366	366	course of study shall include at least thirty (30) s emester hours or
367	367	equivalent closely fol lowing the ABFSE curriculum standard, limited
368	368	to only: Biology, Chemistry, Microbiology, Human Anatomy,
369	369	Pathology, Embalming, Embalming Chemistry, and Restorative Art, plus
370	370	essential elements of grief, communication, and preparation for the
371	371	required board examinations. The applicant must also complete a
372	372	twelve-month minimum term as a registered apprentice with full -time
373	373	employment at a licensed establishment or licensed commercial
374	374	embalming establishment and must hav e assisted with twenty -five
375	375	embalmings under the supervision of a licensed embalmer in this
376	376	state. The applicant may serve as a registered apprentice prior to
377	377	enrollment in an approved school of mortuary science, concurrently
378	378	while in mortuary school, or subsequent to completion of the
379	379	embalmer course of study.
380	380	4. Curriculum of study for an embalmer license shall be in a
381	381	program of funeral service/mortuary science which shall be that
382	382	prescribed by the Oklahoma Funeral Board. An applicant must pay all
383	383	fees as provided in Section 396.4 of this title and pass the
384	384	embalmer examination provided by the International Conference of
385	385	Funeral Service Examining Board Boards with a score of seventy -five
386	386	(75) or higher as well as pass a law exam provided by the Oklahom a
387	387	Funeral Board with a score of seventy -five (75) or higher. A
388	388	license to practice as an embalmer issued pursuant to this
389	389	subsection shall be restricted to embalmer, and the licensee shall
390	390
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441	441	not be eligible to practice as the funeral director in charge as
442	442	defined in Section 396.2 of this title.
443	443	D. The Board shall issue the appropriate license to any
444	444	qualified applicant whose application has been approved by the
445	445	Board, and who has paid the fees required by Section 396.4 of this
446	446	title, has passed the required examinations with a seventy -five (75)
447	447	or higher score and has demonstrated to the Board proficiency as an
448	448	embalmer or funeral director.
449	449	E. The Board shall maintain for public inspection a list of all
450	450	accredited schools of embalming and mortuary science.
451	451	F. Each funeral director in charge as defined in Section 396.2
452	452	of this title shall have a current dual funeral director and
453	453	embalmer license. A funeral director in charge of a funeral service
454	454	establishment or crematory that does not have a current dual f uneral
455	455	director and embalmer license on the effective date of this act
456	456	November 1, 2013, shall be considered to be grandfathered and may
457	457	serve as funeral director in charge of any funeral service
458	458	establishment or crematory in accordance with rules prescrib ed by
459	459	the Board, but shall not serve as funeral director in charge of a
460	460	commercial embalming establishment which shall require a current
461	461	dual funeral director and embalmer license.
462	462	G. Upon the effective date of this act April 23, 2021, and for
463	463	one (1) year thereafter, the Board may issue a tem porary funeral
464	464	director or embalmer license in the event a statewide state of
465	465
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516	516	emergency is declared by the Governor and during such time as the
517	517	state of emergency is in effect.
518	518	SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 59 O.S. 2021, Section 396.8, as
519	519	amended by Section 2, Chapter 217, O.S.L. 2022 (59 O.S. Supp. 2022,
520	520	Section 396.8), is amended to read as follows:
521	521	Section 396.8. A. The Oklahoma Funeral Board shall have the
522	522	power to issue reciprocal licenses to applicants licensed in other
523	523	states which have equal or like educational requirements as required
524	524	by this state or the Board; provided that, the education
525	525	requirements for reciprocity for a funeral director shall not be
526	526	accredited by the American Board of F uneral Service Education .
527	527	B. A license as an embalmer or funeral director shall be issued
528	528	without examination to an out -of-state resident intending to bec ome
529	529	a resident of this state, who submi ts to the Board satisfactory
530	530	evidence that said applicant has met all the requirements of the
531	531	Funeral Services Licensing Act and pays the fees required by Section
532	532	396.4 of this title.
533	533	C. The Board may issue an approp riate license without further
534	534	apprenticeship to a resident of a state which does not have the same
535	535	educational requirements necessary for reciprocity with this state,
536	536	if said applicant:
537	537	1. Has a current license to practice as an embalmer or funeral
538	538	director in the state of residence of the per son;
539	539
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590	590	2. Has been an active embalmer or funeral director practicing
591	591	in the state of residence of the person for at least five (5) years;
592	592	3. Has never been convicted of a felony crime that
593	593	substantially relates to the occupation of an embalmer or funeral
594	594	director and poses a reasonable threat to public safety, and has
595	595	never been convicted of a misd emeanor related to funeral service;
596	596	4. Has never had said license revoked or suspended;
597	597	5. Is not currently facing disci plinary action;
598	598	6. Intends to practice in this state;
599	599	7. Has filed such documents as are required by the Board;
600	600	8. Has paid the fees as required by Section 396.4 of this
601	601	title;
602	602	9. Is a citizen or permanent resident of the United States;
603	603	10. Is a graduate of an accredited program of mortuary science;
604	604	11. Has passed the National Board Examination or State Board
605	605	Examination administered by the International Conference of Funeral
606	606	Service Examining Board; and
607	607	12. Has passed the Oklahoma State Law E xamination.
608	608	D. As used in this section:
609	609	1. "Substantially relates" means the nature of criminal conduct
610	610	for which the person was convicted has a direct bearing on the
611	611	fitness or ability to perform one or more of the dut ies or
612	612	responsibilities necessari ly related to the occupation; and
613	613
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664	664	2. "Poses a reasonable threat" means the nature of criminal
665	665	conduct for which the person was convicted invol ved an act or threat
666	666	of harm against another and has a bearing on the fitness or ability
667	667	to serve the public or work with others in the occupation.
668	668	SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2023 .
669	669
670	670	59-1-1630 MR 1/19/2023 11:28:03 AM

Oklahoma 2024 Regular Session

Oklahoma Senate Bill SB957 Compare Versions