PlainBillCongress, translated.Legislation. Context. Public interest.Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Congressional Research Service
Version 00 · Introduced in Senate · Nov 14, 2002
Federal Death Care Inspection and Disclosure Act - Establishes within the Department of Health and Human Services the position of Coordinator of Funeral, Burial, and Disposition Services, to: (1) survey existing State laws pertaining to the death care industry; and (2) formulate standards specifying the elements of an effective system for registering, inspecting, and monitoring the handling and disposition of human remains by funeral homes and other death care providers.Requires the Coordinator to: (1) award Federal assistance grants to State agencies that regulate death care providers; and (2) establish minimum standards and requirements governing State regulation of funeral homes and other death care providers.Sets forth deceptive trade practices, including funeral provider practices that: (1) fail to make timely price disclosures regarding funeral goods and services; (2) fail to give an itemized written statement for retention to a purchaser of funeral goods or funeral services at the conclusion of the discussion related to such goods and services and prior to providing any services beyond taking possession of a deceased human body for authorized embalming; (3) make specified misrepresentations; (4) condition goods and services upon the purchase of other goods and services; and (5) provide embalming services without prior approval.Prohibits unsolicited telephone offers or door-to-door direct offers to sell funeral goods, services, crematory services, interment rights, or other cemetery and memorialization goods and services.Sets forth consumer protections with respect to certain cash advance prohibitions and requirements, and preneed and prepaid funeral service transactions.
People & committees
Sen. Dodd, Christopher J. [D-CT] · D–CT
Legislative record
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Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S11084-11085)
Introduced in Senate
Primary sources
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Source last updated: Sep 8, 2026. Consult Congress.gov for the current record.
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