CEMETERIES: Provides with respect to the remains of certain individuals

HB 176 clarifies who controls the burial of military service members who died while serving. It states that if a service member completed a DD Form 93 (military emergency data form) before death, the person designated on that form - called the PADD - has the authority to direct burial, overriding any family wishes stated in a will or other document. Cemeteries, funeral homes, and their staff are protected from liability when following the PADD instructions or the DD Form. The bill also specifies that if a service member has both a DD Form 93 and a will, the latest document (whether the form or the will) determines burial arrangements.