Implementing new regulatory requirements is a difficult and thankless job. Businesses hate change when it comes to government interference, and (most) regulators understand this. Accordingly, regulators typically prefer to implement incremental changes. In contrast to other industries, regulatory changes have been less frequent within the death care industry because legislators and regulators don’t understand the
state board of embalmers and funeral directors
Show Me your books and records: Missouri’s new preneed exams
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Missouri - SB1, Preneed
The future of Missouri’s examination of preneed books and records will begin to take shape on February 4th. The State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors has put this issue at the top of its agenda for Thursday’s meeting.
Regulatory review of Missouri’s preneed industry has been dormant for almost 15 years, and SB1 now…
Start Preparing a Plan
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Missouri - SB1, Preneed
In May 2009, the American Funeral Director editorial advised that fixing preneed has to be a cooperative effort, and that the industry needs to agree upon a plan before attempting to legislate a fix. In that same month, the Missouri legislature passed a ‘fix’ to the NPS abuses that incorporated provisions from a mixed bag…
The first hurdles are the highest: Missouri’s SB1
By Bill Stalter on
The Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors faces two hurdles to implementing SB1: disagreements over the interpretation of key provisions and informing the industry how the Board will enforce the law. These hurdles have put the Board in to a Catch 22 situation.
SB1 was drafted under the cloud of the NPS crisis.
Missouri’s Price Tag for Oversight: $36
By Bill Stalter on
Posted in Missouri - SB1
Missouri will look to a combination of licensing fees from preneed sellers, providers and agents to fund a portion of the projected costs of preneed oversight under SB1. But, most of SB1’s enforcement price will be funded by the $36 to be charged for each preneed contract sold. The ‘per contract’ fee is not new…
The First Week Under SB1
By Bill Stalter on
The first week under the new preneed law was a confusing one for the Missouri funeral industry. SB1 has many drafting conflicts and ambiguities, and that has give rise to different interpretations from the Attorney General’s Office, the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors, and the death care industry.
The State Board and the…
Missouri’s deposit to trust requirement: What Grandfather Clause?
By Bill Stalter on
As its first step in educating the preneed industry about SB1’s requirements, the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors posted the Top 12 Changes to Missouri’s Pre-Need Law to its website. However, I had trouble getting past No. 2. The explanation about fiduciary reimbursements of sales expense on Pre-SB1 sales sent me back…
An August 28th To Do List: Missouri’s Preneed Industry
By Bill Stalter on
The Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors meets August 25th to vote on emergency rules that are intended to keep the preneed industry functioning when SB1 goes into effect on August 28th. While numerous issues have been identified to the State Board as deserving of emergency status, four stand out above the rest:…
Notice of Intent? We don’t need no stinkin’ Notice of Intent
By Bill Stalter on
Come August 28th, every Missouri funeral home that plans to sell or honor a preneed contract must file a Notice of Intent To Apply. The State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors has devised this form to ease the rush that will occur when hundreds of licenses must be obtained. However, many Missouri funeral homes…
Missouri’s Catch 22
By Bill Stalter on
Missouri’s Chapter 436 reform law goes into effect on August 28th, and the Missouri State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors will have the responsibility of implementing the new changes. However, the State Board is caught in a Catch 22 situation.
Many of the changes will have to be implemented through regulations, but the Board…