Missouri - SB1

Subscribe to Missouri - SB1 via RSS

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…

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),…

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…

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…

Missouri funeral homes are frustrated with the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors.  The second round of preneed examinations has begun, and the Board’s staff is citing sellers for “new” contract form violations on “old” contracts.  Examiners are reviewing all outstanding contracts, including those covered in the seller’s first examination, and now citing the…

Starting with its 2014 fiscal year, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors has initiated 334 complaints against Missouri funeral homes.  That is an average of 11 complaints per month.  During the four years that preceding 2014, the State Board filed only 77 complaints against funeral homes, or an average of 1.5 complaints…

Over the past couple of years, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors implemented a number of policy changes that affected the funeral industry.  New requirements were imposed on licensing and reporting, and complaints were filed against licensees that failed to comply with those new requirements.  It is not uncommon for a state…

Ten years after the collapse of NPS, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors has a confidence problem with licensees and legislators.  Licensees see a regulator that is obsessed with DBAs, renewal reports, and exams that focus on contract provisions.  Legislators see a regulator that will not fulfill the SB1 mandate to protect…