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01/08/2025

2025 Statehouse Luncheon - MEMBER ONLY EVENT

Wednesday, January 22, 2025

The new year marks the beginning of the 2025 Indiana General Assembly which will be in session thru April.  Amid the flurry of activity and the filing of what will be several hundred pieces of new legislation, IFDA has worked with District 41 Rep. Mark Genda, R-Frankfort, to support two important pieces of legislation, HB 1044 & HB 1409.

House Bill 1044 is a bill designed to legalize Alkaline Hydrolysis in the State of Indiana.  A version of this bill was introduced in the 2024 General Assembly; however, the proposed legislation did not receive a committee hearing therefore was never officially voted on during the legislative session.

Once again, Rep. Genda in collaboration with IFDA, has introduced the bill for legislative consideration.  While we feel this will be limited in the number of Hoosier families choosing AH, the need for legislation to be properly drafted and under the supervision of licensed funeral service is imperative.  As of 2024, there were 28 states that have legalized AH.  After much research and monitoring, IFDA feels it is a matter of “when” not “if” this will occur in Indiana and we want the expertise and knowledge of Hoosier funeral service leading the way.

House Bill 1409 is a bill introduced with the intent to address and improve communication between decedent families, organ procurement organizations (OPO), and funeral homes.  This bill will require OPOs to ascertain the name of the family-preferred funeral home and to contact the funeral home before moving the decedent from the place of death. 

Although current public health and funeral statutes require designation and contact of a funeral provider and the issuance of a burial transit permit prior to moving a decedent, far too often OPOs are transporting decedents without communicating with or ascertaining the preferred funeral home.

Funeral homes are left out of the communication chain only to have families calling the funeral home questioning why they have not been contacted.  In some cases, families come to the funeral home questioning why the funeral home has not contacted them only to find out the funeral home is unaware of the death.

The language of this bill will be inserted into the current Revised Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, IC 29-2-16.1-8, which is the Right of Priority to Authorize Donation, very similar to our Right of Priority for Disposition.  This will simply require communication to occur in a timely manner between the OPO and the funeral homes before the donor decedent is moved from their place of death.  While perhaps new to the OPOs, this is the very same process that has been occurring for decades between hospitals and funeral homes.

What can you do?  Contact your state representatives and senators; make them aware of these bills; share your support and contact Andy at the IFDA office for assistance.  Our annual Statehouse Day and Luncheon is next week, January 22, from 11:30 to 2 in the North Atrium of the Statehouse.  Let your elected leaders know about this day and come be a part of it!

For PDF of the bills click the links below:
HB 1044

HB 1049

Sponsored by:

Bose

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