The proposed bill amends New Mexico's laws on cremation and funeral services by expanding the definition of "cremation" to include both traditional methods and nontraditional processes, such as reduction by chemical agents or biological processes. It introduces new legal language defining "cremation" as the reduction of a dead human body by direct flame, chemical agent, or biological processing to a residue or soil that may include bone fragments. Additionally, individuals are now allowed to specify their preferred type of cremation in written or express statements, providing greater clarity and options for end-of-life preferences. The bill also updates definitions within the Funeral Services Act, incorporating terms like "alkaline hydrolysis" and "natural organic reduction," which reflect the broader range of recognized cremation processes.

Moreover, the bill revises licensing and operational requirements for funeral establishments, direct disposition establishments, and crematories. It mandates that direct disposition establishments have a refrigeration unit, an office for operations, and supplies for handling unembalmed bodies. Crematories must have specific facilities based on the type of cremation they perform, with traditional methods requiring a cremation retort and pulverizing unit, while nontraditional methods must include appliances for alkaline hydrolysis or natural organic reduction. The bill also establishes provisions for the authorization of cremation, clarifying the hierarchy of individuals who can determine the means of disposition in the absence of written instructions. Additionally, it requires licensed establishments and crematories to maintain accurate records of cremations for at least seven years, thereby enhancing the regulatory framework governing funeral and cremation services.

Statutes affected:
introduced version: 24-12A-1, 58-17-3, 61-32-3, 61-32-11, 61-32-19, 61-32-19.1