HB273 Alabama 2013 Session

Updated Feb 27, 2026

Notable

Summary

Primary Sponsor: K.L. Brown
Republican
Session: Regular Session 2013
Title: Board of Funeral Service, require listing of casket prices on all caskets and pictures of caskets, to delete requirement of holding examinations at quarterly meetings, to authorize delegation of person or entity to administer examination, specify violations and fines for violations, provide for administrative hearing before board to contest, Secs. 34-13-9, 34-13-22, 34-13-56, 34-13-111 am'd.
Summary: HB273 would require casket price labeling, modify licensure exam administration, and tighten board inspections and penalties for funeral establishments in Alabama.
What This Bill Does
The bill requires casket prices to be clearly listed on every full-size and cut casket and on all photos or electronic images. It would remove the requirement for quarterly applicant examinations and would authorize the board to delegate licensure exam administration. It expands inspection authority for funeral establishments, creates specific violations that can trigger immediate citations, and sets fines for those violations. It also establishes a process for licensees to request an administrative hearing to contest citations or fines and updates licensing and inspection fees and procedures.

Who It Affects
Funeral establishments and branches in Alabama: must display casket prices on all caskets and images, undergo more formal inspections, face specified fines for violations, and comply with updated licensing and reporting requirements.
Funeral directors, embalmers, and other licensees: subject to new disciplinary rules, the possibility to contest citations via administrative hearings, and changes in licensure exam administration and ownership/branch reporting and transfer procedures.

Key Provisions
Casket pricing requirement: each full-size and cut casket and each photograph/electronic image must display the unit price, with a card or brochure provided in each casket describing the price.
Licensure exam administration: the bill would delete the quarterly applicant examination requirement and would authorize delegation of licensure examination administration to an appropriate entity.
Inspections and violations: the board may conduct inspections of funeral establishments and may specify violations that allow immediate citations, along with defined fine amounts.
Administrative hearings: licensees may request an administrative hearing before the board to contest a citation or fine.
Fines: administrative fines for violations range from $500 to $2,500 per violation, with additional fines for certain display, equipment, or facility violations.
Licensee and display requirements: licenses must be current and publicly displayed; minimum display areas for merchandise; at least eight adult full-size caskets on site; price cards on caskets; and at least one public rest room.
Facilities and equipment standards: embalming room and prep room requirements (equipment, ventilation, waste disposal, contamination controls) and records of embalming activities.
Record-keeping and body identification: establishments must maintain embalming records for at least four years and attach ankle bracelets to identified bodies.
Fees and reporting: inspections carry initial ($150) and reinspection ($150) fees; annual unannounced inspections carry up to $100; transfer and new location fees apply; ownership changes must be reported to the board.
Effective date: the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after passage.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.
Subjects: Funeral Services