Rep. Coffey and Rep. Rosenthal Support Funeral Home Bill

Springfield, IL…This week, the General Assembly had bipartisan support to pass Senate Bill 2643. State Representative Mike Coffey (R-Springfield) and State Representative Wayne Rosenthal (R-Morrisonville) are House sponsors on the bill and say it will help protect families from funeral home directors mishandling human remains.

“I fully support this legislation because families should never have to wonder if they received the proper remains of a loved one,” said Rep. Coffey. “Funeral home directors who conduct criminal acts must be held accountable, and this bill will ensure that Illinois families are protected from criminal acts within funeral homes.”

SB2643 protects a deceased's body by requiring an embalmer or funeral director to follow identification rules and regulations in relation to the handling and storing of human remains. Funeral homes are required to properly handle human remains with a unique identifier and chain of custody documentation.

One House Amendment was made that says any individual who engages in funeral directing or embalming without a license is subjected to a Class A misdemeanor. This penalty also applies to the mishandling of human remains or the misidentification of human remains.

“I’m happy this bill had bipartisan support in efforts to hold funeral home directors responsible for mishandling human remains and engaging in criminal acts,” said Rep. Rosenthal. “The Carlinville funeral home investigation led to this legislation, and I look forward to the Governor's signature on this bill.”

SB2643 passed unanimously through both Houses and must go back to the Senate for concurrence before the Governor signs the bill into law.

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