H.4845 is a reintroduction of a bill from the last legislative session that would allow a funeral home to transfer a dead body to another funeral home only after the latter pays the former for services rendered to the body. Under current law this would be an offense for which a funeral director’s license could be revoked.
There are less ethically questionable means of recovering a debt through other avenues, such as the legal system.
Even leaving aside the moral issue of essentially holding a body for ransom, this bill is problematic due to its sponsorship. Just like the bill from last session, H.4845 is sponsored by Rep. John King, a licensed funeral home owner and director. This bill represents a clear conflict of interest.