HB 4483: Relating to funeral service licensure and administration - West Virginia

Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute → hb4483 s gov am _1 3-6 adopted.htm · 6 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to modernize funeral service licensure by raising education requirements to a bachelor's degree, clarifying apprenticeship rules, and establishing a new 'emeritus' license for older professionals to exempt them from continuing education. The amendment also updated the effective date for new requirements to July 1, 2026, and added specific provisions for inactive licenses and provisional authority during vacancies.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include a new category of 'emeritus' license for professionals aged 65 or older with significant experience, exempting them from continuing education requirements while allowing them to retain their previous rights and privileges.

ELIGIBILITY

Raised the minimum education requirement for funeral directors from a two-year apprenticeship to a completed bachelor's degree from an accredited institution.

Created a new 'emeritus' license option for licensed embalmers, funeral directors, or service licensees aged 65 or older with at least 10 years of experience, exempting them from continuing education requirements.

REQUIREMENT

Corrected and clarified apprenticeship duration and requirements, specifying a two-year apprenticeship under supervision with specific case experience counts.

Added a new provision allowing licensees to register as 'inactive' if they do not wish to continue active practice, requiring reactivation via notification and completion of continuing education.

TIMELINE

Updated the effective date for new licensure and management requirements from July 1, 2022, to July 1, 2026, providing a longer transition period.

ENFORCEMENT

Strengthened provisions regarding provisional authority for licensee in charge vacancies, extending the provisional period to 90 days.

Committee Substitute → Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill revision updates the legislative history and citation numbers for HB 4483, reflecting its progression through the committee process. Substantively, it adds new sections to regulate funeral establishment licensing and clarifies renewal rules for emeritus licenses. The changes also reorganize the list of required credentials for managing a funeral establishment and adjust the timeline for provisional authority during vacancies.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include new regulations for funeral establishment licensing requirements and specific renewal conditions for emeritus licenses, while also clarifying the list of required credentials for a licensee in charge.

REQUIREMENT

Added a new section establishing specific requirements for obtaining and renewing a funeral establishment license, including inspection protocols and notification deadlines.

Reordered and modified the list of required licenses for a 'licensee in charge' to streamline the credentialing requirements for managing a funeral establishment.

Modified the provision for provisional authority during a vacancy to require designation of a 'new' licensee in charge rather than just an 'eligible' one.

Added a new section requiring funeral establishments to notify the board of changes in the licensee in charge within 30 days and prohibiting operation for more than 60 days without one.

ELIGIBILITY

Added a new section clarifying that emeritus licenses for those 65 or older with 10+ years of experience are exempt from continuing education and must be renewed no more often than every four years.

Enrolled Version → Committee Substitute · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to modernize funeral service licensure by increasing the apprenticeship requirement from one year to two years, raising the educational requirement to a bachelor's degree, and clarifying the renewal schedule for emeritus licenses to occur no more frequently than every four years. These changes aim to ensure higher competency standards for new funeral directors and provide clearer administrative rules for long-term licensees.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to include specific requirements for emeritus license renewal frequency and clarified the educational and apprenticeship prerequisites for new licensees.

REQUIREMENT

Increased the required apprenticeship duration from one year to two years for new funeral director applicants.

Added a mandatory bachelor's degree from an accredited institution as a prerequisite for obtaining a funeral director license.

Updated the apprenticeship section to specify that college credits can be completed before, during, or after the apprenticeship period.

ELIGIBILITY

Clarified that emeritus licenses must be renewed no more often than once every four years to prevent frequent administrative burdens on senior licensees.

TECHNICAL

Reorganized the bill structure to include new sections on apprenticeship registration and funeral establishment management under a licensee in charge.

Engrossed Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute → Enrolled Version · 5 edits · Mar 30, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized as an Enrolled Version, removing internal committee markup and adding official signatures and certification. Substantively, the text was streamlined by deleting redundant clauses and reorganizing sections to clarify that funeral establishments must be licensed separately from individual professional licenses. The core requirements for licensing, apprenticeship, and fees remain consistent with the previous committee version.

Scope change

The bill's scope was clarified by explicitly separating the licensing requirements for funeral establishments from the requirements for individual funeral directors and embalmers, ensuring distinct regulatory tracks for business operations versus professional practice.

TECHNICAL

Removed internal legislative markup text, including 'Eng CS for CS' labels, page numbers, and navigation links, to produce the final clean text.

Added official certification signatures for the Clerks of the House and Senate, the Speaker, the President of the Senate, and the Governor, along with the effective date of July 1, 2026.

REQUIREMENT

Reorganized and clarified the distinction between licensing funeral establishments (business entities) and licensing individual professionals, adding specific requirements for establishing and managing funeral homes.

Consolidated and refined the list of rulemaking authorities to remove redundant items and improve clarity on inspection and fee-setting powers.

Streamlined the apprenticeship and license renewal sections by removing repetitive language while retaining the core requirements for education, experience, and continuing education.

Introduced Version → Engrossed Committee Substitute for the Committee Substitute · 5 edits · Mar 14, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to modernize funeral service licensure by clarifying the list of sections being updated, correcting a typo in the apprenticeship description, and adding a new section for funeral establishment license requirements. The changes ensure the legislation covers all necessary aspects of business licensing, including specific rules for managing establishments and handling vacancies, while fixing errors in the original text.

Scope change

The bill's scope was expanded to explicitly include §30-6-18 (Funeral establishment license requirements), which was missing from the original list of sections to be amended. This ensures the law comprehensively covers both individual licensure and business operation standards.

TECHNICAL

The list of sections to be amended was updated to include §30-6-18, correcting an omission in the original version.

REQUIREMENT

A typo in the apprenticeship requirement was fixed, changing 'two-year apprenticeship one-year apprenticeship' to 'two-year apprenticeship'.

A new section (§30-6-18) was added to establish specific licensing requirements for funeral establishments, including pre-inspection, proof of a licensed manager, and rules for handling vacancies or revocations.

New provisions were added to allow a provisional manager to operate a funeral establishment for up to 90 days during a vacancy or change of control.

The text was cleaned up to remove website navigation links and formatting artifacts that were accidentally included in the original draft.

Relating to funeral service licensure and administration

What changed between versions

How they voted

Actions timeline

Sponsors