(225 ILCS 41/1-15)

(Section scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2028)

Sec. 1-15. Funeral directing; definition. Conducting or engaging in or representing or holding out oneself as conducting or engaging in any one or any combination of the following practices constitutes the practice of funeral directing:

(a) The practice of preparing, otherwise than by embalming, for the burial, cremation, or disposition and directing and supervising the burial or disposition of deceased human remains or performing any act or service in connection with the preparing of dead human bodies. Preparation, direction, and supervision shall not be construed to mean those functions normally performed by cemetery and crematory personnel.

(b) The practice of operating a place for preparing for the disposition of deceased human bodies or for caring for deceased human bodies before their disposition. Nothing in this Code shall prohibit the ownership and management of such a place by an unlicensed owner if the place is operated in accordance with this Code and the unlicensed owner does not engage in any form of funeral directing. An unlicensed owner may interact with consumers while a licensed funeral director is present in accordance with this Section.

(c) The removal of a deceased human body from its place of death, institution, or other location. A licensed funeral director and embalmer intern may remove a deceased human body from its place of death, institution, or other location without another licensee being present. The licensed funeral director may engage others who are not licensed funeral directors, licensed funeral director and embalmers, or licensed funeral director and embalmer interns to assist in the removal if the funeral director directs and instructs them in handling and precautionary procedures and accompanies them on all calls. The transportation of deceased human remains to a cemetery, crematory or other place of final disposition shall be under the immediate direct supervision of a licensee unless otherwise permitted by this Section. The transportation of deceased human remains that are embalmed or otherwise prepared and enclosed in an appropriate container to some other place that is not the place of final disposition, such as another funeral home or common carrier, or to a facility that shares common ownership with the transporting funeral home may be performed under the general supervision of a licensee, but the supervision need not be immediate or direct.

(d) The administering and conducting of, or assuming responsibility for administering and conducting of, at need funeral arrangements.

(e) The assuming custody of, transportation, providing shelter, protection and care and disposition of deceased human remains and the furnishing of necessary funeral services, facilities and equipment.

(f) Using in connection with a name or practice the word "funeral director", "undertaker", "mortician", "funeral home", "funeral parlor", "funeral chapel", or any other title implying that the person is engaged in the practice of funeral directing.

Within the existing scope of the practice of funeral directing or funeral directing and embalming, only a licensed funeral director, a licensed funeral director and embalmer, or a licensed funeral director and embalmer intern under the restrictions provided for in this Code, and not any other person employed or contracted by the licensee, may engage in the following activities at-need: (1) have direct contact with consumers and explain funeral or burial merchandise or services or (2) negotiate, develop, or finalize contracts with consumers. This paragraph shall not be construed or enforced in such a manner as to limit the functions of persons regulated under the Illinois Funeral or Burial Funds Act, the Illinois Pre-Need Cemetery Sales Act, the Cemetery Oversight Act, the Cemetery Care Act, the Cemetery Association Act, the Illinois Insurance Code, or any other related professional regulatory Act.

The practice of funeral directing shall not include the phoning in of obituary notices, ordering of flowers for the funeral, or reporting of prices on the firm's general price list as required by the Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule by nonlicensed persons, or like clerical tasks incidental to the act of making funeral arrangements.

The making of funeral arrangements, at need, shall be done only by licensed funeral directors or licensed funeral directors and embalmers. Licensed funeral director and embalmer interns may, however, assist or participate in the arrangements under the direct supervision of a licensed funeral director or licensed funeral director and embalmer.

(Source: P.A. 102-881, eff. 1-1-23.)