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F I S C A L I M P A C T R E P O R T





SPONSOR: Duran DATE TYPED: 02/08/01 HB
SHORT TITLE: Funeral Service Practitioners SB 117/aSPAC
ANALYST: Valdes


APPROPRIATION



Appropriation Contained
Estimated Additional Impact
 Recurring

or Non-Rec

 Fund

Affected

FY01 FY02 FY01 FY02
NFI



(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)



SOURCES OF INFORMATION



Regulation and Licensing Department



SUMMARY



Synopsis of SPAC Amendment



The Senate Public Affairs Committee amendment exempts all licensees age sixty-five or above, who have been licensed at least twenty consecutive years under the Thanatopractice Act, from continuing education requirements.



Additionally, the amendment increases the grace period allowed in current statutes for license renewal, from thirty to sixty days. If the license is not renewed before the grace period ends, it will expire and become invalid.



Synopsis of Original Bill



Senate Bill 117 proposes to exempt funeral service practitioners sixty-five and older from continuing education requirements mandated by current statutes, if they have been licensed at least twenty consecutive years.



Significant Issues



The bill proposes the exemption for funeral service practitioners but does not exempt other licensees under the Thanatopratice Act, including associate funeral service practitioners, assistant funeral service practitioners, direct disposers and funeral service interns.



Continuing education requirements are mandated by regulations adopted by the Thanatopractice Board and require 10 hours per year. Continuing education credits can be obtained by attending annual seminars conducted within the state, through correspondence courses or enrollment at schools offering these specific courses. They are reasonable accessible to all licensees statewide.



Continuing education requirements are mandatory for most boards and commissions within the Regulation and Licensing Department with very few exceptions.



FISCAL IMPLICATIONS



No fiscal impact.





ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS



No administrative impact.





OTHER SUBSTANTIVE ISSUES



Thanatopractice Board staff recommended consideration of removing the age requirement and allowing the exemption of all license categories for those who have continually "practiced" a minimum of twenty consecutive years under the license type held.





POSSIBLE QUESTIONS



MFV/njw