It’s no secret that we’re big supporters of disposition freedom here at Cremation.Green. In addition to being a premier eco-friendly funeral home in Texas, we are also outspoken advocates for modernizing the Texas death care system to allow for more environmentally friendly disposition options that are safe and more affordable than traditional burial.
Although members of the Texas Congress have put forward legislation a few times to modernize funeral services in the state, the bills have stalled with no progress. While this can seem frustrating, the state of Maryland is giving us hope.
A few month’s back Maryland’s state government made a bold move to dramatically update the state’s death care system. Here’s what happened and why it could matter for Texans.
Maryland’s Death Care System Gets the First Update in Decades
If you think the death care system is outdated in your state, then you’d be blown away living in Maryland until recently. Like some other states, Maryland hadn’t done much to update its death care system beyond allowing for traditional cremation since essentially the Civil War. The only types of disposition that were allowed were traditional burial, traditional cremation and natural burial, however the latter option was very limited.
Earlier this year, Maryland legislators approved the Green Death Care Options Act. The act legalized both alkaline hydrolysis, better known as water cremation, and natural organic reduction (NOR) in one fail swoop.
Now, here’s what’s really interesting. This wasn’t the first attempt to expand disposition options in Maryland. Bills had been put forth in years prior with no success.
What changed this time around?
Members of the funeral industry came on board to help shape the Green Death Care Options Act instead of fighting it. With past bills, the funeral industry at large resisted change and opposed bills, helping to sway the legislators against approval.
This time around the bill also came on the heels of surveys that show two thirds of consumers support new disposition options. That’s a percentage that’s hard for funeral industry insiders to ignore. Despite years of fighting innovation and improvements, many funeral home operators in Maryland are now accepting that they can no longer keep fighting public opinion and would rather be a part of shaping the new death care system.
The change made a significant difference in the legislation process. The Green Death Care Options Act was passed by both Chambers in the Senate with ease. With the funeral industry onboard, the only opposition came from select religious groups who uphold that water cremation and NOR aren’t “dignified” and therefore shouldn’t be allowed. However, even this opposition has relented in light of religious figures like Tutu Desmond choosing water cremation themselves.
Governor Wes Moore signed the Green Death Care Options Act into law on May 9, 2023. In addition to allowing for water cremation and NOR, the bill also set forth a framework for regulating the services. The Office of Cemetery Oversight and the State Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors is tasked with creating the formal regulations and requirements that Maryland funeral homes will have to follow. This should help expedite the process of making the new forms of disposition available in Maryland so that families can begin choosing them.
The real kicker is that the Green Death Care Options Act won’t use a dime of state taxpayer money, and is expected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in Maryland. As the name of the bill suggests, environmental damage was one of the top reasons for legalizing water cremation and natural organic reduction. It’s an upside that is coming at no cost to Maryland residents, and could actually reduce climate costs in other ways.
The bill is set to go into effect on October 1, 2024, paving the way for funeral homes in Maryland to begin expanding their service offerings to include more eco-friendly disposition.
Why Texans Should Be Hopeful About Disposition Freedom
This is great news for people in The Old Line State, but what can we learn from the Maryland death care system here in Texas? The short answer is – a lot.
On every front, the legislators behind the Green Death Care Options Act headed off opposition before the bill was even submitted. They worked with leaders in the funeral industry rather than against them to craft a bill that would bring about sweeping changes. The type of changes that can completely transform an industry. By being a part of the process and helping to shape the industry they work in, funeral home operators saw the advantages of revolutionizing the state death care system. Instead of competition they saw opportunity for growth.
This was a pivotal move that proved to be highly beneficial for the bill. It also came with the added benefit of helping to create a regulatory system for the new services. Having the input of people working within the funeral industry was influential in creating reasonable regulations that can be efficiently implemented.
As with past bills, supporters also came to the table with plenty of data to back them up. With each passing year there are more surveys showing consumers support new forms of disposition. And research continues to show that traditional disposition comes at a high environmental cost that is only getting worse with each death.
Every state that takes initiative to update its death care system to be more reflective of modern times puts pressure on the states that are holding out. As more states legalize natural organic reduction and water cremation it gets harder for Texas legislators to argue against it.
If you are trying to find eco-friendly disposition options in Texas Cremation.Green is an invaluable resource. Our funeral home helps families across the state plan eco-friendly funeral services that are efficient and affordable. And if you’re interested in making advanced funeral arrangements for yourself we can provide assistance with that too.
For more information, contact us at any time that’s most convenient for you.
