An act relating to professions and occupations, the official text

1                   STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2   1st Session of the 60th Legislature (2025)

3 HOUSE BILL 2172               By: Pfeiffer

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6                   AS INTRODUCED

7   An Act relating to professions and occupations;

    amending 59 O.S. 2021, Section 396, as amended by

8   Section 1, Chapter 32, O.S.L. 2023 (59 O.S. Supp.

    2024, Section 396), which relates to the Oklahoma

9   Funeral Board; extending sunset of the Board;

    providing an effective date; and declaring an

10  emergency.

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13 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:

14  SECTION 1.      AMENDATORY  59 O.S. 2021, Section 396, as

15 amended by Section 1, Chapter 32, O.S.L. 2023 (59 O.S. Supp. 2024,

16 Section 396), is amended to read as follows:

17  Section 396. There is hereby re-created, to continue until July

18 1, 2024 2029, in accordance with the provisions of the Oklahoma

19 Sunset Law, the Oklahoma Funeral Board. Any reference in the

20 statutes to the Oklahoma State Board of Embalmers and Funeral

21 Directors shall be a reference to the Oklahoma Funeral Board. The

22 Board shall consist of seven (7) persons, who shall be appointed by

23 the Governor. The term of membership of each member of the Board

24 shall be five (5) years from the expiration of the term of the

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 1 member succeeded. Any member having served as a member of the Board
 2 shall be eligible for reappointment. Provided that, a member of the
 3 Board shall serve no more than two consecutive terms and any
 4 unexpired term that a member is appointed to shall not apply to this
 5 limit. The Governor shall appoint the necessary members to the
 6 Board upon vacancies and immediately prior to the expiration of the
 7 various terms. Upon request of the Governor, appointments of a
 8 licensed embalmer and funeral director member of the Board shall be
 9 made from a list of five qualified persons submitted by the Oklahoma
10 Funeral Directors Association. An appointment to fill a vacancy
11 shall be for the unexpired term. A member of the Board shall serve
12 until a successor is appointed and qualified. No person shall be a
13 member of the Board, unless, at the time of appointment, the person
14 is of good moral character and a resident of this state. Five of
15 the members shall have been actively engaged in the practice of
16 embalming and funeral directing in this state for not less than
17 seven (7) consecutive years immediately prior to the appointment of
18 the person, shall have an active license as provided by the Funeral
19 Services Licensing Act, shall keep the license effective, and remain
20 a resident of this state during the entire time the person serves on
21 the Board. Two of the members of the Board shall be chosen from the
22 general public, one of whom shall, if possible, be a person licensed
23 and actively engaged in the health care field, and shall not be
24 licensed funeral directors or embalmers or have any interest,

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1 directly or indirectly, in any funeral establishment or any business

2 dealing in funeral services, supplies or equipment. These two

3 members shall be appointed to serve for five-year terms.

4   SECTION 2. This act shall become effective July 1, 2025.

5   SECTION 3. It being immediately necessary for the preservation

6 of the public peace, health or safety, an emergency is hereby

7 declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take effect and

8 be in full force from and after its passage and approval.

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10  60-1-11049      SW  12/27/24

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