This bill amends several sections of South Dakota's funeral service laws to clarify the roles and requirements for students and trainees in the field. Specifically, it allows trainees to embalm and practice embalming under the supervision of a licensed funeral director, which is a new provision. Additionally, a new section is introduced that exempts full-time students enrolled in accredited funeral service programs from certain licensing requirements while they engage in supervised activities as part of their coursework. However, these students must not represent themselves as licensed funeral directors and must use titles that indicate their student status.

The bill also revises the qualifications for obtaining a funeral service license, ensuring that applicants must meet specific educational and experiential criteria, including completing a traineeship and passing a national board examination. The amendments aim to enhance the regulatory framework governing funeral service practices, ensuring that both trainees and students are adequately supervised and that the standards of professional conduct are upheld.

Statutes affected:
Introduced, 01/17/2025: 36-19-12.1, 36-19-14, 36-19-21
Enrolled, 03/04/2025: 36-19-12.1, 36-19-14, 36-19-21