During the summer following NPS’ collapse, the Missouri Division of Professional Registration provided crucial leadership to building the consensus required for Senate Bill No. 1. Rushed efforts to re-write the Missouri preneed law had failed, and the Legislature then turned to the Division. Represented by Connie Clarkson, Becky Dunn and Kim Grinston, the Division prepared
Missouri - SB1
The Missouri State Board: But Will the Division Change its Ways?
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Exams/audits, Missouri - SB1
The rift between the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors and their Executive Director culminated in her resignation effective June 30th. Over the course of the past several years, the State Board drew the ire of the industry in a number of ways. The staff implemented regulation proposals before they were…
Missouri Preneed Exam Procedures: Industry Expertise
By Bill Stalter on
Our first recommendation to the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors is that they assume, and maintain, control over the preneed examination procedures. The exam procedures implemented two years ago were never submitted to the Board for review and approval. Accordingly, the examination procedures handbook should remind the staff that any change made…
Dialing It Back to Zero: Missouri Reboots it’s Exam Process
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Exams/audits, Missouri - SB1
With an action that caught some by surprise, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors voted to suspend future preneed examinations and accept recommendations on a new process. We have made several posts on the faults of the Missouri examination process, and now commend the Board on taking a bold action. The Missouri…
A Call for Comments: Missouri’s Preneed Exam Handbook
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Exams/audits, Missouri - SB1
To begin reform of its preneed exam process, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors is seeking input from the industry by this Friday, June 8th. Specifically, the State Board is requesting comments to the Exam Procedures Handbook prepared by its staff. We have made edits to that handbook, and will…
Missouri’s Adequate Preneed Records: Performance and Cancellation Records
By Bill Stalter on
When the State Board approved a new “adequate seller records” rule on April 25th, there wasn’t much discussion of the documents or reports to be maintained for performed and canceled preneed contracts. In a sense, the Board may not need to expand beyond the FTC’s statement of goods and services requirement. If a…
Missouri’s Adequate Preneed Records: Receipt and Transmittal Records
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Exams/audits, Missouri - SB1
The Missouri funeral industry has haggled with the State Board for two years over preneed record requirements. But on April 25th, the State Board scrapped the staff’s adequate record proposal, and instead, adopted a brief definition of ‘seller records’. The State Board’s approach will afford funeral homes more flexibility in documenting the receipt…
Missouri State Board: New Leniency for Annual Reports
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Missouri - SB1
Another welcomed change made by the State Board on April 25th was to approve an extension on the filing of annual reports. Missouri has one of the shortest periods (60 days) for filing a preneed annual report. Neighboring states not only granted more time (Illinois 75 days, Iowa 105 days and Nebraska 150 days),…
Missouri State Funeral Board: Unwinding Two Staff Overreaches
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Missouri - SB1, Uncategorized
At its April 25th meeting, the Missouri State Board unwound two controversial staff proposals: mandatory consumer disclosures for preneed contracts and the formation of an insurance funded contract. With 20 CSR 2120-3.205 , the Board staff sought to require Missouri preneed sellers to provide consumers with a two page list of disclosures. Those disclosures…
Missouri’s Funeral Board: Taking Back the Reins
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Exams/audits, Missouri - SB1
The April 25th meeting of the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors marked an important transition where industry members assumed control over the protection of consumers’ preneed funds. After the first round of financial examinations, the Board’s procedures for the second round were defined by the Board’s staff, and never submitted to…