Oklahoma 2025 Regular Session

Oklahoma House Bill HB2286 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2286 SFLR Page 1
4		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	3	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2286 Page 1 1
5	4		2
6	5		3
7	6		4
8	7		5
9	8		6
10	9		7
11	10		8
12	11		9
13	12		10
14	13		11
15	14		12
16	15		13
17	16		14
18	17		15
19	18		16
20	19		17
21	20		18
22	21		19
23	22		20
24	23		21
25	24		22
26	25		23
27	26		24
28	27
29		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION
30		-	April 10, 2025
31		-
32		-
33	28		ENGROSSED HOUSE
34	29		BILL NO. 2286 By: Hilbert of the House
35	30
36	31		and
37	32
38	33		Coleman of the Senate
	34	+
	35	+
39	36
40	37
41	38
42	39
43	40		An Act relating to professions and occupations;
44	41		creating the assistant funeral director license;
45	42		establishing license application requirements;
46	43		creating license procedures; amending 59 O.S. 2021,
47	44		Section 396, as amended by Section 1, Chapter 32,
48	45		O.S.L. 2023 (59 O.S. Supp. 2024, Section 396),
49	46		modifying sunset date; providing for codification;
50	47		providing an effective date ; and declaring an
51	48		emergency.
52	49
53	50
54	51
55	52
56	53
57	54		BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
58	55		SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
59	56		in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 396.3b of Title 59, unless there
60	57		is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
61	58		A. The term "assistant funeral director " as herein used means a
62	59		person who assists a duly Oklahoma -licensed funeral director in one
63	60		or more of the principal functions of funeral directing, and is
64	61		actively engaged in such work. An assistant funeral director shall
65	62		be an employee of the funeral director -in-charge under whom the
66	63		employee is registered, and shall be a person to whom the funeral
	64	+	director-in-charge delegates the responsibility of conducting
67	65
68		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2286 SFLR Page 2
69		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	66	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2286 Page 2 1
70	67		2
71	68		3
72	69		4
73	70		5
74	71		6
75	72		7
76	73		8
77	74		9
78	75		10
79	76		11
80	77		12
81	78		13
82	79		14
83	80		15
84	81		16
85	82		17
86	83		18
87	84		19
88	85		20
89	86		21
90	87		22
91	88		23
92	89		24
93	90
94		-	director-in-charge delegates the responsibility of conducting
95	91		funeral services, making funeral arrangements, and making
96	92		interments.
97	93		B. The Oklahoma Funeral Board may, in its discretion, license
98	94		assistant funeral directors to each Oklahoma -licensed funeral
99	95		director-in-charge. The funeral director-in-charge shall have only
100	96		one assistant funeral director. Licensure as an assistant funeral
101	97		director shall be separate and distinct from registration as an
102	98		apprentice funeral director and/or embalmer. The Board may issue an
103	99		assistant funeral director license on successful completion of the
104	100		Oklahoma Funeral Board Law examination, the m anner and form of which
105	101		is to be determined by the Board, and upon the payment of the
106	102		application fee which shall include the license fee for the current
107	103		year or portion thereof, and such application and registration and
108	104		renewal fee shall be in the amount fixed by the Board in accordance
109	105		with the provision of Section 396.4 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma
110	106		Statutes. Before issuing a license to an applicant for an assistant
111	107		funeral director's license, the Board shall require satisfactory
112	108		proof that the applicant is capable and trustworthy to act as such
113	109		and that the applicant is a person of good moral character, has a
114	110		good standing in the community and is qualified to engage in the
115	111		business. In determining the moral character of any such applican t,
116	112		the Board shall take into consideration any felony conviction of
117	113		such person, but such conviction shall not automatically operate as
	114	+	a bar to licensure. Each person applying for an assistant funeral
118	115
119		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2286 SFLR Page 3
120		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	116	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2286 Page 3 1
121	117		2
122	118		3
123	119		4
124	120		5
125	121		6
126	122		7
127	123		8
128	124		9
129	125		10
130	126		11
131	127		12
132	128		13
133	129		14
134	130		15
135	131		16
136	132		17
137	133		18
138	134		19
139	135		20
140	136		21
141	137		22
142	138		23
143	139		24
144	140
145		-	a bar to licensure. Each person applying for an assistant funeral
146	141		director's license shall make application and be recommended in
147	142		writing on forms provided by the Board. The application shall show
148	143		that the applicant is at least eighteen (18) years of age and shall
149	144		have at least sixty (60) semester hours of study earned, measured in
150	145		quarter or clock hours, from a regionall y accredited college or
151	146		university before such license can be issued to the applicant. Upon
152	147		issuing a license to an assistant funeral director, as herein
153	148		provided, the Board shall cause the licensee to be registered under
154	149		the supervision of the Oklahoma -licensed funeral director by whom
155	150		such licensee is employed and under whom such licensee is
156	151		registered. The funeral director under whom the assistant funeral
157	152		director has been registered must immediately notify the Board when
158	153		the licensee has left the dire ctor's employ. Upon the re-employment
159	154		of the licensee by any other funeral director -in-charge, such
160	155		licensee shall be reinstated by the Board. The work of an assistant
161	156		funeral director shall at all times be under the supervision and
162	157		control of the Oklahoma -licensed funeral director under whom the
163	158		licensee is registered. Licenses of assistant funeral directors may
164	159		be suspended or revoked, or the Board may refuse to issue or renew
165	160		the same, for any of the reasons and in the manner stated herein for
166	161		funeral directors' licenses.
167	162		C. The expiration date of each license shall be December 31.
168	163		Subject to the provisions of this section, each license shall be
	164	+	renewable on an annual basis upon the filing of a renewal
169	165
170		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2286 SFLR Page 4
171		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	166	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2286 Page 4 1
172	167		2
173	168		3
174	169		4
175	170		5
176	171		6
177	172		7
178	173		8
179	174		9
180	175		10
181	176		11
182	177		12
183	178		13
184	179		14
185	180		15
186	181		16
187	182		17
188	183		18
189	184		19
190	185		20
191	186		21
192	187		22
193	188		23
194	189		24
195	190
196		-	renewable on an annual basis upon the filing of a renewal
197	191		application prior to the expiration date of the license and upon
198	192		payment of the renewal fee.
199	193		D. The assistant funeral director shall complete continuing
200	194		education in accordance with the provision of Section 396.5b of
201	195		Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes .
202	196		SECTION 2. AMENDATORY 59 O .S. 2021, Section 396, as
203	197		amended by Section 1, Chapter 32, O.S.L. 2023 (59 O.S. Supp. 2024,
204	198		Section 396), is amended to read as follows:
205	199		Section 396. There is hereby re-created, to continue until July
206	200		1, 2024 2029, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma
207	201		Sunset Law, the Oklahoma Funeral Board. Any reference in the
208	202		statutes to the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral
209	203		Directors shall be a reference to the Oklahoma Funeral Board. The
210	204		Board shall consist of seven (7) persons, who shall be appointed by
211	205		the Governor. The term of membership of each member of the Board
212	206		shall be five (5) years from the expiration of the term of the
213	207		member succeeded. Any member having served as a member of the Board
214	208		shall be eligible for reappointment. Provided that, a member of the
215	209		Board shall serve no more than two consecutive terms and any
216	210		unexpired term that a member is appointed to shall not apply to this
217	211		limit. The Governor shall appoint the necessary members to the
218	212		Board upon vacancies and immediately prior to the expiration of the
219	213		various terms. Upon request of the Governor, appointments of a
	214	+	licensed embalmer and funeral director member of the Board shall be
220	215
221		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2286 SFLR Page 5
222		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	216	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2286 Page 5 1
223	217		2
224	218		3
225	219		4
226	220		5
227	221		6
228	222		7
229	223		8
230	224		9
231	225		10
232	226		11
233	227		12
234	228		13
235	229		14
236	230		15
237	231		16
238	232		17
239	233		18
240	234		19
241	235		20
242	236		21
243	237		22
244	238		23
245	239		24
246	240
247		-	licensed embalmer and funeral director member of the Board shall be
248	241		made from a list of five qualified persons submitted by the Oklahoma
249	242		Funeral Directors Association. An appoin tment to fill a vacancy
250	243		shall be for the unexpired term. A member of the Board shall serve
251	244		until a successor is appointed and qualified. No person shall be a
252	245		member of the Board, unless, at the time of appointment, the person
253	246		is of good moral character and a resident of this state. Five of
254	247		the members shall have been actively engaged in the practice of
255	248		embalming and funeral directing in this state for not less than
256	249		seven (7) consecutive years immediately prior to the appointment of
257	250		the person, shall have an active license as provided by the Funeral
258	251		Services Licensing Act, shall keep the license effective, and remain
259	252		a resident of this state during the entire time the person serves on
260	253		the Board. Two of the members of the Board shall be ch osen from the
261	254		general public, one of whom shall, if possible, be a person licensed
262	255		and actively engaged in the health care field, and shall not be
263	256		licensed funeral directors or embalmers or have any interest,
264	257		directly or indirectly, in any funeral establishment or any busi ness
265	258		dealing in funeral services, supplies or equipment. These two
266	259		members shall be appointed to serve for five -year terms.
267	260		SECTION 3. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.
268	261		SECTION 4. It being immediately necessary for the preservation
269	262		of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby
	263	+	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
	264	+	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
270	265
271		-	SENATE FLOOR VERSION - HB2286 SFLR Page 6
272		-	(Bold face denotes Committee Amendments) 1
	266	+	ENGR. H. B. NO. 2286 Page 6 1
273	267		2
274	268		3
275	269		4
276	270		5
277	271		6
278	272		7
279	273		8
280	274		9
281	275		10
282	276		11
283	277		12
284	278		13
285	279		14
286	280		15
287	281		16
288	282		17
289	283		18
290	284		19
291	285		20
292	286		21
293	287		22
294	288		23
295	289		24
296	290
297		-	declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and
298		-	be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
299		-	COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON BUSINESS AND INSURANCE
300		-	April 10, 2025 - DO PASS
	291	+	Passed the House of Representatives the 24th day of March, 2025.
	292	+
	293	+
	294	+
	295	+
	296	+	Presiding Officer of the House
	297	+	of Representatives
	298	+
	299	+
	300	+
	301	+	Passed the Senate the _____ day of __________, 2025.
	302	+
	303	+
	304	+
	305	+
	306	+	Presiding Officer of the Senate