Pennsylvania HB 1750: An Act providing for disclosure of cremation services for deceased animals, for distribution and certification, for required notices, for holding facility standards, for recordkeeping requirements and for enforcement; and imposing penalties.

Bill Text

PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2155, 2821 PRINTER'S NO. 2886
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No. 1750
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY MARKOSEK, BENHAM, BERNSTINE, STEELE, SANCHEZ,
FRANKEL, PROBST, INGLIS, CONKLIN, CIRESI, DOUGHERTY, KUZMA
AND SHAFFER, JULY 17, 2025
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
FEBRUARY 4, 2026
AN ACT
Providing for disclosure of cremation services for deceased
animals, for distribution and certification, for required
notices, for holding facility standards, for recordkeeping
requirements and for enforcement; and imposing penalties.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Companion
Animal Cremation Consumer Protection Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Cremated remains." The material remaining after the
cremation of a deceased animal, which may include bone fragments
and residue resulting from the cremation process, and that may
be pulverized or otherwise processed by the cremation provider.
"Cremation provider." A person or entity that engages in the
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business of cremating deceased animals in this Commonwealth.
"Deceased animal." A deceased animal that had a companion or
pet relationship with its owner at the time of the animal's
death.
"Funeral director." A licensed funeral director as defined
in 49 Pa. Code § 13.1 (relating to definitions).
"Holding facility." An area designated for the retention of
animal remains prior to cremation that meets the standards under
section 5.
"Improper handling." The term shall include:
(1) Commingling of remains without disclosure to the
consumer.
(2) Misrepresentation of cremation services provided.
(3) Improperly disposing of the deceased animal remains
through a process other than the chosen process of cremation.
"Intermediary." A veterinarian, pet shop, funeral director
or other person that refers business to a cremation provider for
monetary compensation through a business relationship in which
entities share profits as compensation through an ongoing
financially beneficial relationship between the business and the
cremation provider. The term shall include businesses that
financially benefit through the transportation of deceased
animals to cremation providers.
"Pet shop." A person or facility that offers animals for
sale on a retail basis to be kept as animal companions or pets.
Section 3. Disclosure of cremation services.
(a) Description.--A cremation provider shall furnish, free
of charge, a written description of available cremation services
to each of the following:
(1) The owner of a deceased animal, or another person
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acting on the owner's behalf, who arranges for cremation
services.
(2) An intermediary.
(3) Any other person upon request.
(b) Form and content.--The written description of services
shall be presented to the animal owner, or a person acting on
the owner's behalf, and posted on the cremation provider's
publicly accessible Internet website, if a website exists, or an
alternative online consumer-facing portal. A cremation provider
shall inform the owner of a deceased animal, or a person acting
on the owner's behalf, that the written description of services
is posted on the provider's publicly accessible Internet website
or an alternative online consumer-facing portal. The printed
form shall:
(1) contain the business name of the cremation provider;
and
(2) contain a detailed and clear explanation of each
cremation service offered, including the following:
(i) Private cremation explained as the cremation of
a single deceased animal in a clean, empty chamber, with
the cremated remains returned exclusively to the owner.
(ii) Individual-partitioned cremation explained as
the cremation of multiple deceased animals in the same
chamber using physical barriers or designated spaces to
maintain separation, with cremated remains returned to
each owner.
(iii) Communal cremation explained as the cremation
of multiple deceased animals in the same chamber without
effective partitions or separation during the cremation
process such that the commingling of significant amounts
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of cremated remains from different deceased animals is
likely or certain to occur and cremated remains cannot be
returned to each owner.
(c) Inclusion of prices.--The written description required
under subsection (a) is not required to include prices.
Section 4. Distribution and certification.
(a) Distribution by intermediaries.--An intermediary shall
provide a copy of the cremation provider's written description
of services to the