B 26-0547

                                                                       ENGROSSED ORIGINAL
1A BILL
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326-547
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6IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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11 To amend the District of Columbia Funeral Services Regulatory Act of 1984 to authorize
12reduction by alkaline hydrolysis at funeral services establishments and to define
13cremation.
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15BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
16 act may be cited as the “Posthumous Care Modernization Amendment Act of 2026”.
17Sec. 2. The District of Columbia Funeral Services Regulatory Act of 1984, effective May
18 22, 1984 (D.C. Law 5-84; D.C. Official Code § 3-401 et seq.), is amended as follows:
19(a) Section 3 (D.C. Official Code § 3-402) is amended as follows:
20(1) A new paragraph (1A) is added to read as follows:
21“(1A) “Alkaline Hydrolysis” means the process of reducing human remains using
22 water, alkaline chemicals, and heat inside a watertight vessel to accelerate decomposition at a
23 funeral services establishment.”.
24(2) A new paragraph (5A) is added to read as follows:
25“(5A) “Cremation” means the disposition of a dead human body by means of
26 incineration.”.
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27(3) Paragraph (11) is amended by striking the phrase “burial, cremation,” and
28 inserting the phrase “burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis,” in its place.
29Sec. 3. Fiscal impact statement.
30The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal
31 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,
32 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).
33Sec. 4. Effective date.
34This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
35 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of Congressional review as
36 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December
37 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Code § 1-206(c)(1)), and publication in the District of Columbia
38 Register.
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