House Bill No. [insert bill number] enacts R.S. 8:454.3, which establishes a legal framework for the merger of cemetery trust funds owned by the same cemetery authority. The bill outlines the process for executing a plan of merger, which must be approved by the governing authority of the cemetery. Key components of the plan include the names and creation dates of the trust funds involved, the method for transferring and combining assets, the effective date of the merger, and any amendments to the surviving trust fund's instrument.

Additionally, the bill specifies that articles of merger must be signed by an authorized representative of the cemetery authority and submitted within thirty days of the merger's effective date. Upon the merger's effectiveness, the separate existence of the merged trust funds ceases, and all assets and liabilities are transferred to the surviving trust fund. The bill also ensures that if any part of the cemetery existed prior to August 1, 1962, the relevant provisions of existing law will continue to apply.