House Bill 713 amends various sections of the Tennessee Code Annotated related to cemeteries, focusing on financial regulations, interment rights, and administrative procedures. Key changes include the adjustment of the allowable distribution from trust funds, which is now capped at five percent of the fair market value averaged over three years. The bill also stipulates that cemetery owners must charge the same installation fees for commodities to all customers and mandates that these fees be clearly posted. Additionally, it introduces a provision that allows cemetery companies to reclaim interment rights after 75 years of inactivity, provided they conduct a reasonable search for the owner and publish a notice.

Further amendments clarify the administrative fees associated with renewing cemetery registration and the calculation of fees for interment rights based on the type of burial space. The bill establishes definitions for terms related to cemetery operations, such as "community columbarium" and "interment right," and outlines the process for reclaiming abandoned interment rights. Overall, the legislation aims to enhance transparency and fairness in cemetery operations while ensuring that consumers are adequately informed about fees and rights associated with interment.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 46-1-204(e)(1)(A)(ii), 46-1-204, 46-1-204(c), 46-2-101(b), 46-2-101, 46-2-101(b)(3), 46-2-101(c), 46-1-204(b)(3), 46-1-105(a), 46-1-105, 46-1-204(b)(3)(A), 46-1-108(a), 46-1-108