CERTIFICATION OF ENROLLMENT
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1974
Chapter 57, Laws of 2024
68th Legislature
2024 Regular Session
DISPOSITION OF HUMAN REMAINS—COUNTIES
EFFECTIVE DATE: June 6, 2024
Passed by the House February 9, 2024 CERTIFICATE
Yeas 97 Nays 0
I, Bernard Dean, Chief Clerk of the
House of Representatives of the
LAURIE JINKINS State of Washington, do hereby
Speaker of the House of certify that the attached is
Representatives SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1974 as
passed by the House of
Representatives and the Senate on
the dates hereon set forth.
Passed by the Senate February 28,
2024
Yeas 49 Nays 0 BERNARD DEAN
Chief Clerk
DENNY HECK
President of the Senate
Approved March 13, 2024 1:57 PM FILED
March 14, 2024
Secretary of State
JAY INSLEE State of Washington
Governor of the State of Washington
SUBSTITUTE HOUSE BILL 1974
Passed Legislature - 2024 Regular Session
State of Washington 68th Legislature 2024 Regular Session
By House Civil Rights & Judiciary (originally sponsored by
Representatives Abbarno, Bronoske, and Doglio)
READ FIRST TIME 01/31/24.
1 AN ACT Relating to the disposition of human remains; and
2 reenacting and amending RCW 68.50.230.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
4 Sec. 1. RCW 68.50.230 and 2009 c 102 s 20 and 2009 c 56 s 1 are
5 each reenacted and amended to read as follows:
6 (1) Whenever any human remains shall have been in the lawful
7 possession of any person, firm, corporation, county, or association
8 for a period of ((ninety)) 45 days or more, and the relatives of, or
9 persons interested in, the deceased person shall fail, neglect, or
10 refuse to direct the disposition, the human remains may be disposed
11 of by the person, firm, corporation, county, or association having
12 such lawful possession thereof, under and in accordance with rules
13 adopted by the funeral and cemetery board, not inconsistent with any
14 statute of the state of Washington or rule adopted by the state board
15 of health.
16 (2)(a) The department of veterans affairs may certify that the
17 deceased person to whom subsection (1) of this section applies was a
18 veteran or the dependent of a veteran eligible for interment at a
19 federal or state veterans' cemetery.
20 (b) Upon certification of eligible veteran or dependent of a
21 veteran status under (a) of this subsection, the person, firm,
p. 1 SHB 1974.SL
1 corporation, county, or association in possession of the veteran's or
2 veteran's dependent's remains shall transfer the custody and control
3 of the remains to the department of veterans affairs.
4 (c) The transfer of human remains under (b) of this subsection
5 does not create:
6 (i) A private right of action against the state or its officers
7 and employees or instrumentalities, or against any person, firm,
8 corporation, county, or association transferring the remains; or
9 (ii) Liability on behalf of the state, the state's officers,
10 employees, or instrumentalities; or on behalf of the person, firm,
11 corporation, county, or association transferring the remains.
Passed by the House February 9, 2024.
Passed by the Senate February 28, 2024.
Approved by the Governor March 13, 2024.
Filed in Office of Secretary of State March 14, 2024.
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p. 2 SHB 1974.SL