Purpose

This bill changes rules for how dead bodies are handled before and during natural organic reduction (NOR), and adds NOR as a legally allowed final disposition starting July 1, 2025. It clarifies when embalming, refrigeration, or dry ice must be used, and it sets timing requirements for starting the NOR process after a body is taken into custody by a NOR facility.

Main provisions

• Embalming, refrigeration, and dry ice requirements (Section 1)

  • A dead body must be embalmed by a licensed mortician (or by an intern or practicum student) or refrigerated or packed in dry ice in these cases:
  • If the body will be transported on public transportation.
  • If final disposition won’t be completed within 72 hours after death or release by a competent authority, or if the body will be stored for future disposition (unless otherwise allowed by 149A.94).
  • If the body will be publicly viewed.
  • If ordered by the health commissioner to control an infectious disease.
  • Dry ice may be used only when the body is publicly viewed on private property.
  • Except for certain exceptions, a body may not be kept in refrigeration for more than six calendar days or packed in dry ice for more than four calendar days from death or release.

• Final disposition rules and NOR transition (Section 2)

  • All bodies in Minnesota (with listed exceptions) should be decently buried or entombed, cremated, or, starting July 1, 2025, naturally reduced (NOR) within a reasonable time after death.
  • If final disposition cannot be completed or NOR will not begin within 72 hours after death or release, the body must be properly embalmed, refrigerated, or packed with dry ice (with the same six-day refrigeration and four-day dry ice limits applying).

• NOR-specific timing and conditions (Section 3)

  • Bodies awaiting NOR must be placed in the NOR vessel to initiate NOR within 24 hours after custody is accepted and not later than 30 days after custody.
  • A NOR facility must refrigerate a body awaiting NOR if the body will be held longer than four days.
  • If NOR is not started within 30 days after custody, the facility must embalm the body. However, embalming is not required if NOR is started within 30 days after custody.
  • The NOR-related provisions include an effective date of July 1, 2025 for NOR as a final disposition option.

Significant changes to existing law

• Adds natural organic reduction as an officially recognized final disposition option effective July 1, 2025.
• Establishes concrete deadlines for starting NOR after a body is turned over to a NOR facility (must begin within 24 hours and within 30 days, with consequences if not started).
• Tightens or clarifies embalming and refrigeration requirements, including time limits (six days refrigeration, four days dry ice) and when those procedures are required.
• Introduces vessel placement and custody-related responsibilities for NOR facilities.

Notable implications

• Funeral homes and NOR facilities will need to adjust practices to meet new timeframes and custody rules.
• NOR will become a formal option for disposition, alongside burial, entombment, cremation, and alkaline hydrolysis starting in 2025.
• Public viewing, infectious disease control, and transportation rules influence when embalming or refrigeration must occur.

Implementation notes

• Some provisions reference existing statutes (e.g., sections dealing with transportation, viewing, and infectious disease control) and align with those requirements.
• The changes include a staged adoption date (July 1, 2025) for NOR as an allowed disposition method.

Terminology used in this bill (for quick reference)

• natural organic reduction (NOR)
• NOR vessel
• final disposition
• embalming
• refrigeration
• dry ice
• custody (legal and physical custody)
• body
• dead human body
• public viewing
• infectious disease
• coroner
• medical examiner
• alkaline hydrolysis (alkaline hydrolyzed cremation)
• burial / entombment
• cremation

Relevant Terms - natural organic reduction - NOR vessel - final disposition - embalming - refrigeration - dry ice - custody - public viewing - infectious disease - coroner - medical examiner - alkaline hydrolysis - cremation - burial - entombment - July 1, 2025 - six calendar days - four calendar days