(COLORADO) — According to the Colorado General Assembly, the House passed legislation on Wednesday, May 1, to require funeral industry workers to be licensed, bringing Colorado in line with all 49 other states that already require education, certification, and licenses.

Currently, Colorado is the only state in the nation that does not require licenses for those working in the funeral industry, which has been brought to light by the recent Return to Nature Funeral Home tragedy, where nearly 200 bodies were found, having been secretly stored over the course of several years, while some family members were given cremation urns with fake remains.

“We’re the only state in the nation that does not require proper licensure for funeral professionals – it’s time to fix that to ensure our funeral homes and crematories are safe and operating legally,” said Rep. Brianna Titone, D-Arvada. “This bill would help ensure Colorado funeral homes and crematories have proper oversight from licensed professionals. Colorado has been at the center of many egregious and heartbreaking instances of fabricated cremation records and the mishandling of bodies. Colorado’s public health and safety depends upon our action which will ensure every funeral home and crematory in our state is operated by a licensed professional.”

The bill, SB24-173, passed the House by a vote of 59 to 3 and if passed into law, would require an individual to obtain a license to practice as a funeral director, a mortuary science practitioner, an embalmer, a cremationist, or a natural reductionist, starting January 1, 2027.

For a new industry worker to be licensed, they will have to graduate from an accredited educational institution for that profession, pass the national board examination, complete an apprenticeship, and pass a criminal background check.

The licenses could be obtained by those currently working in the field, when they can show they have worked at least 4,000 hours in the field, completed an apprenticeship, passed a criminal background check, and after two years, they could qualify for full licensure.

Another bill is moving through the legislature requiring recurring inspections of state-operated funeral homes and crematories.

The Colorado Senate hearing for SB24-173 is scheduled for Thursday, May 2.