Deathcare industry hub
5
Active bills
3
Verified operators
3
Active coalitions
Amends the Michigan Funeral Establishment and Mortuary Science Act to modernize cremation permit requirements, revise the 48-hour waiting period to 24 hours, and establish standards for aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis).
April 10, 2026 — Referred to Committee on Regulatory Reform
Updates investment standards for cemetery perpetual care funds, raises the minimum funding threshold, and requires annual third-party audits with public disclosure.
April 28, 2026 — Second reading, Senate floor
Requires licensed funeral establishments to post itemized pricing on their public websites, in parity with FTC Funeral Rule requirements, and mandates electronic price lists to families who request them.
May 2, 2026 — Introduced, referred to Consumer Protection Committee
Strengthens consumer protections for preneed funeral contracts: caps cancellation fees at 10%, requires 30-day full-refund window, and mandates trust fund disclosure on annual statements.
April 18, 2026 — Public hearing held — Judiciary Committee
Establishes a regulatory framework for natural organic reduction (NOR/human composting), expands alkaline hydrolysis permits, and creates a "conservation burial" designation for cemeteries preserving natural land.
May 8, 2026 — Introduced in House
19d ago
SB 1017 is the most significant preneed legislation Michigan has seen in 20 years. The 30-day full-refund window is a big consumer win, but the 10% cancellation cap may actually hurt smaller funeral homes more than large chains — we should be advocating for a sliding scale based on services already delivered.
20d ago
We're supporting SB 892 with amendments. The audit requirement is long overdue — families buying burial rights deserve to know their perpetual care money is safe. Our position: raise the disclosure threshold further and include digital portals for beneficiary access.
21d ago
Field report from Flint, MI: We've seen a 34% increase in direct cremation requests in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025. Families are citing price. The gap between a traditional service and direct cremation has grown to $4,200+ in this market. This is a real pressure point HB 4133 pricing transparency needs to address.
23d ago
What's the actual timeline for the Michigan Board of Mortuary Science to update the cremation technician continuing education requirements if HB 4521 passes? Has anyone spoken directly with the MBMS about the rule-making process? The 12-month implementation window seems optimistic.
24d ago
Anonymous field report (supplier): Q1 2026 wholesale casket orders from Michigan funeral homes down 8% YoY. Direct-to-family casket sales up significantly. The FTC price comparison rule is having a measurable effect on the market. Families are shopping. HB 4133 will accelerate this.