409.742 Disclosure of information pertaining to cremated or reduced remains

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409.742 Disclosure of information pertaining to cremated or reduced remains.

(1)Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the Department of Human Services shall disclose to the general public the name and the dates of birth and death of a person whose cremated or reduced remains are in the possession of the department for the purpose of:

(a)Giving a family member of the person an opportunity to claim the cremated or reduced remains; and

(b)Creating a memorial for those persons whose cremated or reduced remains are not claimed.

(2)If an individual contacts the department to determine whether the department is in possession of the cremated or reduced remains of a family member of the individual and the department determines that the department is in possession of the cremated or reduced remains, the department shall disclose to the individual that the department is in possession of the cremated or reduced remains and offer the individual the opportunity to claim the remains.

(3)As used in this section:

(a)“Alkaline hydrolysis” or “hydrolysis” means the technical process for reducing human remains by placing the remains in a dissolution chamber that uses heat, pressure, water and base chemical agents, in a licensed hydrolysis facility, to reduce human remains to bone fragments and essential elements.

(b)“Family member” means any individual related by blood, marriage or adoption to a person whose cremated or reduced remains are in the possession of the department.

(c)“Natural organic reduction” means the contained, accelerated conversion of human remains to soil.

(d)“Reduced remains” means the remains of a human body after completion of an authorized process for reducing human remains. Authorized processes for reducing human remains include alkaline hydrolysis, natural organic reduction and any other alternative process authorized by the State Mortuary and Cemetery Board. [2005 c.823 §1; 2007 c.9 §1; 2021 c.296 §28]