Authorizes the bureau of funeral directing, under the direction of the commissioner of health to investigate claims brought against any person, firm or corporation relating to moneys paid in connection with agreements for funeral merchandise or services; provides that the bureau of funeral directing has the legal authority to investigate and, after due process, levy fines and sanctions on any unlicensed individuals and/or unregistered entities that are falsely acting as or representing themselves to be licensed and/or registered funeral directors and/or funeral firms in violation of the public health law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
9233
IN SENATE
February 18, 2026
___________
Introduced by Sen. SCARCELLA-SPANTON -- read twice and ordered printed,
and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Consumer
Protection
AN ACT to amend the general business law, in relation to authorizing the
bureau of funeral directing to investigate any claims of moneys paid
in connection with agreements for funeral merchandise or services
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 453 of the general business law is amended by
2 adding a new subdivision 6-a to read as follows:
3 6-a. (a) Prior to any special proceeding commenced by the attorney
4 general pursuant to subdivision seven of this section, the bureau of
5 funeral directing established under the direction of the commissioner of
6 health pursuant to section thirty-four hundred one of the public health
7 law, in consultation with the local district attorney, shall investigate
8 any claims brought against any person, firm or corporation pursuant to
9 this section. After ninety days of such investigation, all records and
10 true copies of any agreements of the alleged violations of this section
11 shall be transferred to the attorney general.
12 (b) The bureau of funeral directing has the legal authority to inves-
13 tigate and, after due process, levy fines and sanctions on any unli-
14 censed individuals and/or unregistered entities that are falsely acting
15 as or representing themselves to be licensed and/or registered funeral
16 directors and/or funeral firms in violation of the public health law.
17 § 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13713-02-6
