HB 2286 — Professions and occupations; Oklahoma Funeral Board appointment; creating assistant funeral director license; establishing requirements; creating procedures; establishing certain fees; effective date; emergency.

NO.The Oklahoma Funeral Board may license assistant funeral directors to each Oklahoma-licensed funeral director in charge.

2286The Pagefuneral 1director funeralin services,charge makingshall funeralhave arrangements,only andone makingassistant interments.funeral director.

B.Licensure as an assistant funeral director shall be separate and distinct from registration as an apprentice funeral ENR.

The Oklahoma Funeral Board may, in its discretion, license assistant funeral directors to each Oklahoma-licensed funeral director-in-charge.

The funeral director-in-charge shall have only one assistant funeral director.

Licensure as an assistant funeral director shall be separate and distinct from registration as an apprentice funeral director and/or embalmer.

The Board may issue an assistant funeral director license on successful completion of the Oklahoma Funeral Board Law examination, the manner and form of which is to be determined by the Board, and upon the payment of the application fee which shall include the license fee for the current year or portion thereof, and such application and registration and renewal fee shall be in the amount fixed by the Board in accordance with the provision of Section 396.4 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

Before issuing a license to an applicant for an assistant funeral director's license, the Board shall require satisfactory proof that the applicant is capable and trustworthy to act as such and that the applicant is a person of good moral character, has a good standing in the community and is qualified to engage in the business.

In determining the moral character of any such applicant, the Board shall take into consideration any felony conviction of such person, but such conviction shall not automatically operate as a bar to licensure.

Each person applying for an assistant funeral ENGR.

2286 Page 2 director'sdirector licenseor shallembalmer. make application and be recommended in writing on forms provided by the Board.

The Board may issue an assistant funeral director license upon successful completion of the Oklahoma State Law Examination for Funeral Directors, the manner and form of which shall be determined by the Board, and upon payment of the application fee which shall include the license fee for the current year or portion thereof.

Such application and registration and renewal fee shall be in the amount fixed by the Board in accordance with the provisions of Section 396.4 of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

Before issuing a license to an applicant for an assistant funeral director’s license, the Board shall require satisfactory proof that the applicant is capable and trustworthy to act as such and that the applicant is a person of good moral character, has a good standing in the community, and is qualified to engage in the business.

In determining the moral character of any such applicant, the Board shall take into consideration any felony conviction of such person;

provided, however, any such conviction shall not automatically operate as a bar to licensure.

Each person applying for an assistant funeral director’s license shall make application and be recommended in writing on forms provided by the Board.

Upon issuing a license to an assistant funeral director, as herein provided, the Board shall cause the licensee to be registered under the supervision of the Oklahoma-licensed funeral director by whom such licensee is employed and under whom such licensee is registered.

The funeral director under whom the assistant funeral director has been registered mustshall immediately notify the Board when the licensee has left the director'semployment employ.of the director.

Upon thereemployment re-employment of the licensee by any other funeral director-in-charge,director in charge, such licensee shall be reinstated by the Board.

Licenses of assistant funeral directors may be suspended or revoked, or the Board may refuse to issue or renew thea same,license, for any of the reasons and in the manner stated hereinin this section for funeral directors'directors’ licenses.

Subject to the provisions of this section, each license shall be renewable on an annual basis upon the filing of a renewal ENGR.application prior to the expiration date of the license and upon payment of the renewal fee.

ENR.

2286 Page 3 applicationD. prior to the expiration date of the license and upon payment of the renewal fee.

D.The assistant funeral director shall complete continuing education in accordance with the provisions of Section 396.5b of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

TheSECTION assistant3. funeral director shall complete continuing education in accordance with the provision of Section 396.5b of Title 59 of the Oklahoma Statutes.

SECTION 2.

2021, Section 396,396.4, asis amended byto Sectionread 1,as Chapterfollows: 32, O.S.L.

2023Section (59396.4. O.S.

Supp.A.

2024,1. Section 396), is amended to read as follows:

SectionThe 396.Oklahoma Funeral Board shall set fees pursuant to rule for all licenses, registrations, examinations, and renewals required by the Funeral Services Licensing Act.

There2. is hereby re-created, to continue until July 1, 2024 2029, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma Sunset Law, the Oklahoma Funeral Board.

AnyUntil referencethe inOklahoma theFuneral statutesBoard sets fees pursuant to rule, the Oklahomafollowing Stateshall Boardbe ofthe Embalmersfees andcharged Funeralfor Directorsthe shalllicenses, beregistrations, aand referenceexaminations torequired by the Oklahoma Funeral Board.Services Licensing Act:

TheFuneral BoardDirector shallLicense consistor Renewal $75.00 Assistant Funeral Director License or Renewal $150.00 Embalmer License or Renewal $75.00 Registration for Funeral Director/Embalmer Apprentice $150.00 Extension of sevenFuneral (7)Director/Embalmer persons,Apprentice who$150.00 shallEmbalmer beExamination appointed$100.00 byFuneral theDirector Governor.Examination $100.00 State Law Examination $100.00 Funeral Establishment License or Renewal $250.00 Commercial Embalming Establishment License or Renewal $250.00 Reciprocal License for Funeral Director or Embalmer $150.00 Change of Funeral Director in Charge $150.00 Crematory License or Renewal $250.00 B.

The termOklahoma ofFuneral membershipBoard ofshall eachassess memberThree ofDollars the($3.00) Boardfor shalleach bedisposition fiveperformed (5)by years from the expirationlicensed offuneral theestablishment termor ofcommercial theembalming memberestablishment. succeeded.

AnyThe memberENR. having served as a member of the Board shall be eligible for reappointment.

Provided that, a member of the Board shall serve no more than two consecutive terms and any unexpired term that a member is appointed to shall not apply to this limit.

The Governor shall appoint the necessary members to the Board upon vacancies and immediately prior to the expiration of the various terms.

Upon request of the Governor, appointments of a licensed embalmer and funeral director member of the Board shall be ENGR.

2286 Page 4 madedisposition fee shall be payable upon renewal of the license as provided in subsection E of this section and shall be calculated from aNovember list1 of fivethe qualifiedpreceding personscalendar submittedyear byto October 31 of the Oklahomacurrent Funeralcalendar Directorsyear Association.for each licensee.

AnFor appointmentpurposes of this subsection, “disposition” means each time the licensed establishment files an original death certificate pursuant to fillSection a1-317 vacancyof shallTitle be63 forof the unexpiredOklahoma term.Statutes.

AC. member of the Board shall serve until a successor is appointed and qualified.

NoFees personfor shallfuneral bedirector, aembalmer, memberand ofstate thelaw Board,examinations unless,shall atbe thepaid timeprior ofto appointment, the personscheduled isexamination. of good moral character and a resident of this state.

FiveAn ofexamination thefee members shall have been actively engaged in the practice of embalming and funeral directing in this state for not lessbe thanrefundable. seven (7) consecutive years immediately prior to the appointment of the person, shall have an active license as provided by the Funeral Services Licensing Act, shall keep the license effective, and remain a resident of this state during the entire time the person serves on the Board.

TwoD. of the members of the Board shall be chosen from the general public, one of whom shall, if possible, be a person licensed and actively engaged in the health care field, and shall not be licensed funeral directors or embalmers or have any interest, directly or indirectly, in any funeral establishment or any business dealing in funeral services, supplies or equipment.

TheseThe twoOklahoma membersFuneral shallBoard beis appointedauthorized to servedetermine forand five-yearfix terms.special administrative service fees.

SECTIONEach 3.such fee shall not be in excess of Two Hundred Dollars ($200.00).

ThisE. act shall become effective July 1, 2025.

If any renewal fee required by this section is not paid on or before December 31 of each year, the amount of the fee shall be doubled and if the fee is not paid on or before April 30 of the subsequent year, the licensee shall be in default and the license shall terminate automatically.

F.

All examinations of the Oklahoma Funeral Board shall be exempt from the Oklahoma Open Records Act in order to maintain the integrity of the examination process.

Copies of completed examinations shall only be released upon receipt of a court order from a court of competent jurisdiction.

This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.

SECTION 5.

ENGR.ENR.

2286 Page 5 Passed the House of Representatives the 24th15th day of March,May, 2025.

3 Presiding Officer of the House of Representatives 6 Passed the Senate the _____5th day of __________,May, 2025.

8 Presiding Officer of the Senate ENGR.OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR Received by the Office of the Governor this ____________________ day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.

By:

_________________________________ Approved by the Governor of the State of Oklahoma this _________ day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.

_________________________________ Governor of the State of Oklahoma OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE Received by the Office of the Secretary of State this __________ day of ___________________, 20_______, at _______ o'clock _______ M.

By:

_________________________________ ENR.