Public Act 0081 96TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HB0516 Enrolled LRB096 08256 ASK 18591 b

Public Act 096-0081

AN ACT concerning regulation.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Disposition of Veterans' Cremated Remains Act.

Section 5. Definitions. The following terms have the meanings indicated, unless the context requires otherwise:

"Authorizing agent" means a person who is legally entitled to authorize the cremation and final disposition of the cremated remains of the deceased person in accordance with the Disposition of Remains Act and the Crematory Regulation Act.

"Crematory authority" means a legal entity that is licensed by the Comptroller of the State of Illinois to operate a crematory and to perform cremations.

"Funeral director" means a person, known by the title of "funeral director" or other similar words or titles, licensed under the Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code and who practices funeral directing.

"Veteran" means an Illinois resident who has served as a member of the United States Armed Services on active duty, a member of the Illinois National Guard, or a member of the United States Reserve Forces, and who has received an honorable discharge.

"Veterans organization" means an association or other entity organized for the benefits of veterans that has been recognized or chartered by the United States Congress and includes, but is not limited to, the American Legion, the Legion of Honor, the Patriot Guard, the Missing in America Project, and the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Section 10. Funeral director or crematory authority responsibilities.

(a) A funeral director or crematory authority must make a reasonable effort to determine whether a deceased person, whose human remains have been submitted to a funeral establishment for final disposition by cremation, is one of the following:

(1) a veteran;

(2) the spouse of a veteran; or

(3) the dependent child of a veteran.

(b) This determination must be made at, or shortly after, the time an at-need cremation authorization is signed by the authorizing agent. The funeral director or crematory authority must start his or her inquiry with the authorizing agent and notify the authorizing agent of the funeral director's or crematory authority's responsibilities under this Act. However, nothing in this Act shall apply to a pre-need cremation authorization until it becomes an at-need cremation authorization. Nothing in this Act shall delay the cremation of a deceased person's remains as authorized by an at-need cremation authorization.

(c) If the funeral director or crematory authority cannot determine with certainty the deceased person's status and no authorizing agent exists, then the funeral director or crematory authority may allow the National Cemetery Administration's National Cemetery Scheduling Office, any veterans organization whose primary purpose is to locate, identify, and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans, or any federally-chartered veterans service organization to have access to the cremated remains and all information regarding the deceased person in the possession of the funeral director or crematory authority so that it may attempt to determine whether the deceased person qualifies under subsection (a) of this Section.

(d) If the funeral director or crematory authority determines that the deceased person is either a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or the dependent child of a veteran, then the funeral director or crematory authority must immediately notify the authorizing agent of this finding and advise the authorizing agent that the deceased person may be eligible to be interred at an appropriate veterans' cemetery.

(e) If the cremated remains of a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or the dependent child of a veteran are not claimed by an authorizing agent, then the funeral director or crematory authority must hold any cremated remains for at least 60 days, as required by subsection (d) of Section 40 of the Crematory Regulation Act. After 60 days have expired, the funeral director or crematory authority must then send written notice to an authorizing agent requesting disposition instructions. If the funeral director or crematory authority does not receive a written response from an authorizing agent within 30 days after this written notice is sent, then the funeral director or crematory authority must contact any veterans organization whose primary purpose is to locate, identify, and inter or inurn the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans or any federally-chartered veterans service organization so that arrangements for the disposition of the cremated remains of the veteran, spouse of a veteran, or dependent child of a veteran may be made in a state or national veterans' cemetery.

(f) The funeral director or crematory authority may release any relevant information to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or any federally-chartered veterans service organization to affect the timely and accurate identification and interment or inurnment of the cremated remains of a decedent as either a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or the dependent child of a veteran.

Section 15. Immunity. A funeral director or crematory authority complying with this Act is immune from any criminal or civil liability regarding the release of information relating to (i) the determination of the deceased person's status as a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or the dependant child of a veteran, (ii) the availability of interment or inurnment as a veteran, or (iii) the release of the cremated remains to a veterans' cemetery. A funeral director or crematory authority shall be immune from civil liability for any act or omission under this Act, except for willful or wanton misconduct. A veterans organization or federally-chartered veterans service organization shall be immune from civil liability for any act or omission related to the disposition of cremated remains under this Act, except for willful or wanton misconduct.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.