Colorado Lawmakers Take Action to Overhaul Funeral Home Oversight

Colorado lawmakers passed a sweeping bill Monday to overhaul the state’s lax oversight over funeral homes after a series of horrific incidents, including sold body parts, fake ashes, and the discovery of 190 decaying bodies. The cases have devastated hundreds of already grieving families, leading lawmakers to pass the bill, which now goes to Democratic Gov. Jared Polis’ desk for a signature.

If signed into law, it would give regulators far greater enforcement power over funeral homes and require routine inspections of facilities, even after they have shut down.

Another bill that recently passed both chambers would require funeral home directors and other industry roles to pass a background check, obtain a degree in mortuary science, and pass a national examination, along with an apprenticeship.

The need for these legislative changes became evident after the discovery of 190 decomposing bodies at a funeral home’s bug-infested facility located about two hours south of Denver. The owners of the facility have been arrested and are facing numerous charges, including abuse of a corpse.

In a separate incident at a different Colorado funeral home in February, a body was left in the back of a hearse for over a year.

Colorado’s current funeral home regulations are among the weakest in the nation. Funeral home directors are not required to have a high school diploma, and regulators were not mandated to conduct routine inspections, unlike many other states. These bills represent a significant update that would bring Colorado in line with national standards.