North Carolina HB 1003: Board of Funeral Service Modifications.

Bill Text

GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF NORTH CAROLINA
SESSION 2025

SESSION LAW 2025-76
HOUSE BILL 1003

*H1003-v-5*
AN ACT TO MODIFY THE LAWS OF FUNERAL SERVICE AND CREMATION.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

PART I. CREMATIONS AND ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS
SECTION 1.1.(a) The following provisions are recodified as follows:
Former Citation Recodified Citation
90-210.121(1) 90-210.121(1a)
90-210.121(17a) 90-210.121(17c)
90-210.136(a)(1) 90-210.121(1)
90-210.136(a)(2) 90-210.121(17a)
90-210.136(a)(3) 90-210.121(17b)
90-210.136(a)(4) 90-210.121(17d).
SECTION 1.1.(b) The title of Article 13F of Chapter 90 of the General Statutes
reads as rewritten:
"Cremations.Cremations and Alkaline Hydrolysis."
SECTION 1.1.(c) G.S. 90-210.121, as amended by subsection (a) of this section,
reads as rewritten:
"§ 90-210.121. Definitions.
As used in this Article, unless the context requires otherwise:
(1) Alkaline hydrolysis. – The technical process using water, heat, and other
chemicals to destroy, dissolve, or reduce human remains to simpler or
essential elements.As defined in G.S. 90-210.20.
(1a) "Authorizing agent" means a Authorizing agent. – A person or entity legally
entitled to authorize the cremation arrange for the final disposition of human
remains in accordance with G.S. 90-210.124.G.S. 130A-420.
(2) "Board" means the Board. – The North Carolina Board of Funeral Service.
(3) "Body parts" means limbs Body parts. – Any of the following:
a. Limbs or other portions of the anatomy that are removed from a person
or human remains for medical purposes during treatment, surgery,
biopsy, autopsy, or medical research; or human research.
b. Human bodies or any portion thereof that have been donated to science
for medical purposes.
(4) "Casket" means a Casket. – A rigid container that is designed for the
encasement of human remains and that is usually constructed of wood, metal,
or other material and ornamented and lined with fabric, and which may or may
not be combustible.
(5) "Certificate of cremation" means a Certificate of cremation. – A certificate
provided by the crematory manager who performed the cremation containing,
at a minimum, all of the following information:
a. Name of decedent;decedent.
b. Date of cremation;cremation.

Page 2 Session Law 2025-76 House Bill 1003
c. Name and address of crematory; andcrematory.
d. Signature of crematory manager or person acting as crematory
manager.
(6) "Cremated remains" means all Cremated remains. – All human remains
recovered after the completion of the cremation process, including
pulverization which leaves only bone fragments reduced to unidentifiable
dimensions.
(7) "Cremation" means the Cremation. – The technical process, using intense heat
and flame, that reduces human remains to bone fragments. Cremation includes
the processing and may include the pulverization of the bone fragments.
(8) "Cremation chamber" means the Cremation chamber. – The enclosed space
within which the cremation process takes place. Cremation chambers covered
by this Article shall be used exclusively for the cremation of human remains.
(9) "Cremation container" means the Cremation container. – The container in
which the human remains are transported to the crematory or placed therein
upon arrival for storage and placement in a cremation chamber for cremation.
A cremation container shall comply with all of the following standards:
a. Be composed of readily combustible materials suitable for
cremation;cremation.
b. Be able to be closed in order to provide a complete covering for the
human remains;remains.
c. Be resistant to leakage or spillage;spillage.
d. Be rigid enough for handling with ease;ease.
e. Be able to provide protection for the health, safety, and personal
integrity of crematory personnel; andpersonnel.
f. Be easily identifiable. The covering of the cremation container shall
contain all of the following information:
1. The name of the decedent;decedent.
2. The date of death;death.
3. The sex of the decedent; anddecedent.
4. The age at death of the decedent.
(10) "Cremation interment container" means a Cremation interment container. – A
rigid outer container composed of concrete, steel, fiberglass, or some similar
material in which an urn is placed prior to being interred in the ground and
which is designed to withstand prolonged exposure to the elements and to
support the earth above the urn.
(11) "Crematory" or "crematorium" means the Crematory or crematorium. – The
building or buildings or portion of a building on a single site that houses the
cremation equipment, the holding and processing facilities, the business
office, and other parts of the crematory business. A crematory must comply
with all applicable public health and environmental laws and rules and must
contain the equipment and meet all of the standards established by the rules
adopted by the Board.
(12) "Crematory licensee" means the Crematory licensee. – The individual or legal
entity that is licensed by the Board holds a license to ope