Bill > HB0713

This bill makes several significant changes to Tennessee's cemetery laws, focusing on improving transparency, fairness, and regulation of cemetery operations. It modifies how the fair market value of improvement care trust funds is calculated by averaging the trust's value over multiple years. The bill clarifies memorial care fees, stipulating that cemetery companies can charge up to 75 cents per square inch for memorial care and installation, with annual fee increases tied to the consumer price index. The legislation introduces new provisions for abandoned interment rights, allowing a cemetery company to reclaim rights after 75 years of no contact, provided they conduct a reasonable search for the owner and publish notices. The bill also standardizes administrative fees for pre-need sales contracts, setting a $20 state administrative fee per contract and ensuring consumers are not charged multiple times for the same contract. Additionally, the bill updates terminology throughout existing cemetery law, replacing references to "lot owners" with "interment right owners" and creating new definitions for cemetery-related terms like community columbarium and community mausoleum. The changes are designed to provide more clarity and consumer protection in cemetery operations, with the bill set to take effect on January 1, 2026.

Business and Industry

https://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/Billinfo/default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0713&ga=114