The Montana Board of Funeral Service convened to deliberate on several critical matters affecting the funeral industry in the state. The meeting was marked by discussions that ranged from the potential requirement for funeral homes to post their General Price Lists (GPL) online, to the various licensing requirements, and the findings from inspections of funeral homes and crematories.
The meeting opened with a fervent discussion regarding the possibility of instituting a law or rule that would mandate funeral homes to post their GPL online. One board member passionately recounted their experience following the death of a close friend, advocating that the Montana Board of Funeral Service should require funeral homes to make their prices accessible online.
However, several members voiced their concerns, stating that funeral homes already have pricing procedures regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). One member questioned the legal authority of the Funeral Board to impose such a requirement, pointing out potential legal constraints.
Following the GPL discussion, the Board turned its attention to the various types of licensing required in Montana. Board members debated the possibility of revising the current rules and license types within the state’s funeral industry. They recognized the need to revisit this topic after the conclusion of the current Montana Legislature session, as there are potential bills under consideration that might impact these licenses and their classifications.
The Board then received a report from the executive officer of the Department of Labor and Industry. The Executive Officer provided an overview of the number of active licenses in Montana and their respective types. Additionally, the report included the number of inspections conducted on funeral homes and crematories by the Department, along with a broad overview of the results.
One notable point of concern was the discovery of several inspections that resulted in “findings of non-compliance.” Board members expressed a strong interest in learning more about these non-compliances and the necessary next steps to address them. Unfortunately, the executive officer was unable to provide further details at the time.
The Board of Funeral Service has scheduled a screening panel meeting to take place in March 2025. It is anticipated that this meeting will provide further information and clarity, particularly regarding the non-compliance issues identified during inspections.
The Montana Board of Funeral Service has discussed over the past meetings the need to address licensing fees in the state. A significant result that was confirmed after the meeting is that the Board has successfully accomplished the massive goal of abating license fees for the year 2025. The Board has worked diligently toward this goal and received information from the Department of Labor and Industry that license fees will be abated in 2025 in time for license renewals on July 1, 2025. Please stand by for further information as this is a developing situation.
