Committee advances permit changes to ease scheduling for disposal of human remains

The final bill on the agenda, HB 1481, concerns administrative procedures for the disposal of human remains. Lauren Kim (Department of Health) said the department supports the measure and an amendment to change 'shall' to 'may' in order to enable administrative simplification without delaying implementation.

Jay Morford, representing the Hawaii Funeral and Cemetery Association, explained that current requirements to obtain all next-of-kin authorizations before applying for permits can cause scheduling problems with crematories and cemeteries. He said allowing permit application and giving funeral operators a 60-day window to complete authorizations would reduce coordination problems. "What this will allow us to do is apply for the permit, give us 60 days from the date that we applied for the permit to continue through the authorization process with the families," Morford said.

DOH said its suggested amendment would simplify implementation and avoid potential delays from required administrative-rule promulgation. The committee adopted the DOH-recommended language and moved HB 1481 forward as a house draft; some members recorded reservations. The committee noted follow-up coordination between DOH and industry for the precise administrative approach.