Announcement Archive

• During the March 12, 2014 Open Session, the Board discussed the placement of the ID Tag which is required to be placed on the long bone, as it affects religious practice. Religious groups, that shroud the body after death, have raised concerns that present practice would cause a disturbance to the body if identification became necessary. The Board decided that the required ID Tag must still be placed on the long bone per Health Occupations §7-411. For Jewish bodies an additional tag should be placed on the wrist, for ID to be possible and still honor cultural concerns regarding not disturbing the wrap. For Muslim bodies, an alternative method is suggested. An additional ID tag should be placed around both ankles, over the wrap. Thank you all for respecting cultural concern and following the law.

• Victor C. March, Sr., President of the Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors, announced additionally, in regard to the Attorney General’s Official Pre-need Opinion, that the Board voted to handle the guarantee of contracts the same way as the cash advance issue. All contracts written from September 11, 2013 forward will be considered guaranteed and will be dealt with accordingly by the Board when issues come before it. Any contracts written before that time that indicated on the contract that it was guaranteed, remain guaranteed. The Board decision was not to consider contracts written before September 11, 2013.

• Notice of Three Statutes Effective October 1, 2013

  • Health Occupations § 7-316 relating to the Authority to Discipline Funeral Establishment Licenses

  • Health Occupations § 7-101 Apprentice Sponsors, Funeral Establishment Licenses, and Supervising Morticians

  • Health Occupations § 7-310 Funeral Establishments – Preparation and Holding Rooms

• Victor C. March, Sr., President of the Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors, announced during open session on September 11, 2013 that the Board has decided to handle the Attorney General’s official opinion that if monies are accepted for cash advance items in a pre need sale, they must be guaranteed, in the following way: All cash advances that have been paid for by the consumer going forward from September 11, 2013 will be considered guaranteed and will be dealt with accordingly by the Board when issues come before it. The Board decision was to not consider contracts written before September 11, 2013. It was voted on unanimously by the Board. See attached opinion from the Office of the Attorney General HERE.

  
  

• IMPORTANT NOTICE FOR ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY AND RECENTLY DISCHARGED MILITARY VETERANS & SPOUSES : HERE

• According to Title§ 5-502(b)(1,(2), and (3c) of the Annotated Code of Maryland (Health General), a person may not cremate a body until it has been identified by the next of kin or a person designated by the next of kin to identify the remains before the final disposition of the body can occur. The Board and Board Counsel interpret this to mean “in person identification” not identification by electronic means.

  • For Body Location Changes:

  • Email Address for any change of body location other than approved establishment storage with the Board: bodystorage@gmail.com

  • Handling of Human Remains with Dignity Act Effective 10/1/2012:

    Health General 5-513 relating to the handling of human remains with dignity.
    

• Letter Written to the Physician's Board by Ruth Ann Arty on behalf of Maryland Morticians.

• The wording at the bottom of pre-need contracts that informs consumers that they have an option of making a claim against the Family Security Trust should read:

  I understand a claim against the Family Security Trust Fund can be filed by any consumer who believes they have suffered a loss according to Title 7, Subtitle 4A (Family Security Trust Fund) of the MD Code, on or after January 1, 2010.

  This wording can be printed on labels and attached to the bottom of the form until January 1, 2013. Beginning next year, it will have to be printed on the signature page of the form itself.