HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1568        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 170

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

Louis L. Kafka

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying resolve:

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to consumer protections with regard to cemeteries and crematories.

_______________

PETITION OF:

 

Name:

District/Address:

Date Added:

Louis L. Kafka

8th Norfolk

1/19/2017

John H. Rogers

12th Norfolk

1/24/2017

Kay Khan

11th Middlesex

1/27/2017

Walter F. Timilty

Norfolk, Bristol and Plymouth

 

Michelle M. DuBois

10th Plymouth

 


HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 1568        FILED ON: 1/19/2017

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 170

By Mr. Kafka of Stoughton, a petition (accompanied by resolve, House, No. 170) of Louis L. Kafka and others for an investigation by a special commission (including members of the General Court) relative to consumer protections with regard to cemeteries and crematories.  Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure.

 

[SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION
SEE HOUSE, NO. 210 OF 2015-2016.]

 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

 

_______________

In the One Hundred and Ninetieth General Court
(2017-2018)

_______________

 

Resolve providing for an investigation and study by a special commission relative to consumer protections with regard to cemeteries and crematories.

 

Resolved, Resolved,

Resolved, that a special commission is hereby established for the purpose of conducting an investigation and study of equitable costs with regards to cemeteries, burials, and crematories. 

The commission shall consist of the house and senate chairs of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure, who shall serve as co-chairs of the commission; 1 member to be appointed by the Senate President, 1 member to be appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; 1 member to be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader; 1 member to be appointed by the House Minority Leader, the Undersecretary of the Executive Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation or his/her designee; and 1 representative from each of the following organizations: the Massachusetts Funeral Directors Association and the Massachusetts Cemetery Association.

Such investigation and study shall include, but not be limited to;

(a) the range of costs of services provided by funeral homes, cemeteries, and crematories,

(b) differences in costs between private cemeteries and public cemeteries,

(c) differences in costs between different religious cemeteries and secular cemeteries, and

(d) separating collection of payment of services provided by cemeteries and crematories from funeral homes.

The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study, and its recommendations on or before November 15, 2014.