This bill amends existing laws regarding the handling of unclaimed bodies by allowing counties to opt for cremation as a method of disposition, in addition to traditional burial. Specifically, it mandates that if a decedent has an ascertainable estate, the costs of burial or cremation will be covered by that estate. If no estate is available, the financial responsibility falls to the surviving spouse or parent, or, in their absence, the county. The bill also introduces provisions for the storage of unclaimed bodies by hospitals or medical examiners, with a stipulation that if a body remains unclaimed for 30 days, it may be cremated or buried at the county's expense.

Furthermore, the bill establishes that cremains must be retained by the medical examiner's office for at least one year before they can be interred. It also outlines that if someone makes a valid claim to a body or cremains that have already been buried, they will be responsible for the costs associated with disinterment. If a disinterment is required for investigative purposes by the medical examiner, those costs will be covered by the medical examiner's office. Overall, the bill aims to streamline the process of managing unclaimed bodies while ensuring that financial responsibilities are clearly defined.