Session Laws

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows:

Section 43M of chapter 114 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2006 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the third sentence the following 3 sentences:- Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, a funeral establishment in possession of the cremated remains of a human body which is not claimed by a next-of-kin or duly authorized representative within 12 months after the date of cremation may have the remains interred or placed in a common grave, niche, or crypt in a cemetery, or scattered in an area of the cemetery designated for that purpose; provided, however, that if the deceased is a veteran of the United States Armed Forces the deceased shall be interred at a veterans’ cemetery. Each cemetery and funeral establishment shall maintain permanent records of such disposition. There shall be no liability for a funeral establishment, cemetery or crematory, or any employee or agent thereof that disposes of unclaimed cremated remains in accordance with this section.

Approved August 20, 2008.