Bill > A00220

This bill amends the New York Public Health Law to establish a process for handling unclaimed human remains. Specifically, if human remains are not acted upon within 120 days of receipt due to a lack of burial or disposition plan, they will be legally considered "abandoned." In such cases, the person or entity currently in possession of the remains (such as an undertaker, administrator, executor, or corporation) may dispose of the remains through traditional methods like burial, cremation, or natural organic reduction. The person disposing of the remains must keep a record of the disposition, and upon doing so, will be legally discharged from any further obligation or liability related to those remains. This legislation provides a clear legal pathway for managing unclaimed human remains, offering a practical solution for situations where no immediate burial or disposition plan has been established, while protecting the rights and responsibilities of those in possession of the remains.

Health and Social Services

https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2025/A220