SB246: Funeral services; cremation.

SENATE BILL NO. 246

Offered January 8, 2014
Prefiled January 3, 2014
A BILL to amend and reenact § 54.1-2818.1 of the Code of Virginia, relating to funeral services; cremation.
Patron-- Alexander
Referred to Committee on General Laws and Technology

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That § 54.1-2818.1 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 54.1-2818.1. Prerequisites for cremation.

No dead human body shall be cremated without permission of the medical examiner as required by § 32.1-284 and visual identification of the deceased by the next-of-kin or his representative, who may be any person designated to make arrangements for the decedent's burial or the disposition of his remains pursuant to § 54.1-2825, an agent named in an advance directive pursuant to § 54.1-2984, or a sheriff, upon court order, if no next-of-kin, designated person, or agent is available, either a sheriff, upon court order, or any person over 18 years of age who is able to provide visual identification and is willing to pay the costs of cremation. When visual identification is not feasible, other positive identification of the deceased may be used as a prerequisite for cremation.