S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                         1550
                              2015-2016 Regular Sessions
                                 I N  A S S E M B L Y
                                   January 12, 2015
                                      ___________
       Introduced by M. of A. WRIGHT -- read once and referred to the Committee
         on Health
       AN  ACT  to  amend  the  public  health law, in relation to establishing
         regional boards to oversee certain aspects of  the  funeral  directing
         industry
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1. The public health law is amended by adding  a  new  section
    2  3402-a to read as follows:
    3    S  3402-A. REGIONAL BOARDS OF GOVERNORS. 1. THERE SHALL BE ESTABLISHED
    4  WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT FIVE  REGIONAL  BOARDS  OF  GOVERNORS  TO  OPERATE
    5  THROUGHOUT THE STATE. THE COMMISSIONER, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE FUNERAL
    6  DIRECTING ADVISORY BOARD, SHALL DETERMINE THE BOUNDARIES AND AREAS TO BE
    7  SERVICED  BY EACH OF THE FIVE REGIONAL BOARDS OF GOVERNORS.  THE COMMIS-
    8  SIONER SHALL APPOINT SEVEN MEMBERS TO EACH REGIONAL BOARD OF  GOVERNORS.
    9  THE  MEMBERS SO APPOINTED SHALL BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE FUNERAL DIRECT-
   10  ING INDUSTRY, INCLUDING EMBALMERS, UNDERTAKERS AND EMPLOYEES OF CEMETERY
   11  CORPORATIONS.
   12    2. THE REGIONAL BOARDS OF  GOVERNORS  SHALL  REVIEW  THE  PRACTICE  OF
   13  FUNERAL  DIRECTING  WITHIN  THEIR  OWN REGION AS WELL AS THOSE PRACTICES
   14  EXISTING IN THE OTHER REGIONS OF THE STATE. THE  REGIONAL  BOARDS  SHALL
   15  CONSIDER,  BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO, THE FOLLOWING AREAS OF CONCERN AFFECT-
   16  ING THE FUNERAL DIRECTING INDUSTRY:  GRIEVANCE  PROCEDURES,  COMPLAINTS,
   17  ARBITRATION,  AND VIOLATIONS AND FINES. EACH REGIONAL BOARD SHALL ADVISE
   18  THE COMMISSIONER ON THE MOST APPROPRIATE AND EFFICIENT WAYS IN WHICH  TO
   19  RESPOND TO THESE AREAS OF CONCERN AFFECTING THE FUNERAL DIRECTING INDUS-
   20  TRY.
   21    3.  MEMBERS  OF  THE REGIONAL BOARDS SHALL RECEIVE NO COMPENSATION FOR
   22  THEIR SERVICES, BUT EACH SHALL BE ENTITLED TO RECEIVE HIS OR HER REASON-
   23  ABLE EXPENSES ACTUALLY INCURRED IN  THE  PERFORMANCE  OF  SUCH  MEMBER'S
   24  DUTIES.
   25    S 2. This act shall take effect January 1, 2016.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD05006-01-5