HB92 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

James O. Gordon

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Dead bodies, State Board of Health required to authorize a relative or other designee, other than the spouse, to release the body to the funeral home in certain circumstances

Summary

This bill would let a non-spouse relative or designated person release a deceased person’s body to a funeral home when the spouse is accused of murder or is unavailable, by requiring the State Board of Health to set the rules.

What This Bill Does

The State Board of Health would be required to promulgate rules allowing a relative or other designee (not the spouse) to release the body to a funeral home in cases where the spouse has been accused of murder or is unavailable. This change means the funeral home can receive and handle the body without needing the spouse’s release in those circumstances. The rules would specify who qualifies as a designee and how the release process should work.

Who It Affects

• Relatives or other designees (not the spouse) of the deceased person who could authorize release to a funeral home in the specified cases.
• Funeral homes and their staff that would receive the body and arrange transport under these rules.

Key Provisions

• The State Board of Health must promulgate rules to allow a relative or another designee, other than a spouse, to release to a funeral home the body of a deceased person whose spouse has been accused of murder or is unavailable to release the body.
• The designee can be a relative or another designated person, not the spouse, as the authority to release the body to the funeral home.
• The act becomes effective on the first day of the third month following its passage and approval by the Governor.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 25, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Dead Bodies