Public Act 096-0081
 
HB0516 Enrolled LRB096 08256 ASK 18591 b

    AN ACT concerning regulation.
 
    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
represented in the General Assembly:
 
    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
Disposition of Veterans' Cremated Remains Act.
 
    Section 5. Definitions. The following terms have the
meanings indicated, unless the context requires otherwise:
    "Authorizing agent" means a person who is legally entitled
to authorize the cremation and final disposition of the
cremated remains of the deceased person in accordance with the
Disposition of Remains Act and the Crematory Regulation Act.
    "Crematory authority" means a legal entity that is licensed
by the Comptroller of the State of Illinois to operate a
crematory and to perform cremations.
    "Funeral director" means a person, known by the title of
"funeral director" or other similar words or titles, licensed
under the Funeral Directors and Embalmers Licensing Code and
who practices funeral directing.
    "Veteran" means an Illinois resident who has served as a
member of the United States Armed Services on active duty, a
member of the Illinois National Guard, or a member of the
United States Reserve Forces, and who has received an honorable
discharge.
    "Veterans organization" means an association or other
entity organized for the benefits of veterans that has been
recognized or chartered by the United States Congress and
includes, but is not limited to, the American Legion, the
Legion of Honor, the Patriot Guard, the Missing in America
Project, and the Vietnam Veterans of America.
 
    Section 10. Funeral director or crematory authority
responsibilities.
    (a) A funeral director or crematory authority must make a
reasonable effort to determine whether a deceased person, whose
human remains have been submitted to a funeral establishment
for final disposition by cremation, is one of the following:
        (1) a veteran;
        (2) the spouse of a veteran; or
        (3) the dependent child of a veteran.
    (b) This determination must be made at, or shortly after,
the time an at-need cremation authorization is signed by the
authorizing agent. The funeral director or crematory authority
must start his or her inquiry with the authorizing agent and
notify the authorizing agent of the funeral director's or
crematory authority's responsibilities under this Act.
However, nothing in this Act shall apply to a pre-need
cremation authorization until it becomes an at-need cremation
authorization. Nothing in this Act shall delay the cremation of
a deceased person's remains as authorized by an at-need
cremation authorization.
    (c) If the funeral director or crematory authority cannot
determine with certainty the deceased person's status and no
authorizing agent exists, then the funeral director or
crematory authority may allow the National Cemetery
Administration's National Cemetery Scheduling Office, any
veterans organization whose primary purpose is to locate,
identify, and inter the unclaimed cremated remains of American
veterans, or any federally-chartered veterans service
organization to have access to the cremated remains and all
information regarding the deceased person in the possession of
the funeral director or crematory authority so that it may
attempt to determine whether the deceased person qualifies
under subsection (a) of this Section.
    (d) If the funeral director or crematory authority
determines that the deceased person is either a veteran, the
spouse of a veteran, or the dependent child of a veteran, then
the funeral director or crematory authority must immediately
notify the authorizing agent of this finding and advise the
authorizing agent that the deceased person may be eligible to
be interred at an appropriate veterans' cemetery.
    (e) If the cremated remains of a veteran, the spouse of a
veteran, or the dependent child of a veteran are not claimed by
an authorizing agent, then the funeral director or crematory
authority must hold any cremated remains for at least 60 days,
as required by subsection (d) of Section 40 of the Crematory
Regulation Act. After 60 days have expired, the funeral
director or crematory authority must then send written notice
to an authorizing agent requesting disposition instructions.
If the funeral director or crematory authority does not receive
a written response from an authorizing agent within 30 days
after this written notice is sent, then the funeral director or
crematory authority must contact any veterans organization
whose primary purpose is to locate, identify, and inter or
inurn the unclaimed cremated remains of American veterans or
any federally-chartered veterans service organization so that
arrangements for the disposition of the cremated remains of the
veteran, spouse of a veteran, or dependent child of a veteran
may be made in a state or national veterans' cemetery.
    (f) The funeral director or crematory authority may release
any relevant information to the U.S. Department of Veterans
Affairs or any federally-chartered veterans service
organization to affect the timely and accurate identification
and interment or inurnment of the cremated remains of a
decedent as either a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or the
dependent child of a veteran.
 
    Section 15. Immunity. A funeral director or crematory
authority complying with this Act is immune from any criminal
or civil liability regarding the release of information
relating to (i) the determination of the deceased person's
status as a veteran, the spouse of a veteran, or the dependant
child of a veteran, (ii) the availability of interment or
inurnment as a veteran, or (iii) the release of the cremated
remains to a veterans' cemetery. A funeral director or
crematory authority shall be immune from civil liability for
any act or omission under this Act, except for willful or
wanton misconduct. A veterans organization or
federally-chartered veterans service organization shall be
immune from civil liability for any act or omission related to
the disposition of cremated remains under this Act, except for
willful or wanton misconduct.
 
    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
becoming law.