[ad_1]
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis signed two bills into law Friday that overhaul state oversight of the funeral home industry after a series of gruesome discoveries, including 190 discomposing bodies in a facility, families being sent fake ashes and the unauthorized sale of body parts.
The cases put Colorado’s lax funeral home regulations — some of the weakest in the nation — in the spotlight and rocked hundreds of already grieving families.
Some families had ceremonially spread ashes that turned out to be fake. Others said they had nightmares about what their loved ones might have looked like in a decayed state.
CO LEGISLATURE PASSES FUNERAL HOME CRACKDOWN AFTER FAKE ASHES, HEAPS OF ROTTING BODIES MAKE NATIONAL HEADLINES
“When grieving the loss of a loved one, the last thing a family should worry about is the trustworthiness and professionalism of those entrusted to care for the person who has passed,” Polis said in a statement.
The new laws bring Colorado in line with most other states.
One requires regulators to routinely inspect funeral homes and give them more enforcement power. Another implements licensing for funeral directors and other workers in the industry. They would need to pass background checks and a national exam while possessing degrees and work experience.
Previously, funeral home directors in Colorado didn’t have to graduate from high school, let alone have a degree.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, front center, signs bills into law to bring more comprehensive guidelines into place for funeral facilities Friday, May 24, 2024, during a ceremony outside the Governor’s mansion in downtown Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)
The funeral home industry was generally on board with the changes though some expressed concern that strict requirements for funeral home directors were unnecessary and would make it difficult to find hirable applicants.
The bill signings follow a rocky year for Colorado funeral homes.
In early October, neighbors noticed a putrid smell coming…
[ad_2]
