Occupations: mortuary science; references to article 18 of the occupational code in the estates and protected individuals code; revise. Amends sec. 3206 of 1998 PA 386 (MCL 700.3206). TIE BAR WITH: SB 1060'26

SB 1071 updates Michigan's Estates and Protected Individuals Code to clarify who has the authority to make funeral arrangements and decide on the disposition of a deceased person's body. The bill establishes a priority list for decision-makers, starting with a pre-designated funeral representative, followed by the surviving spouse, and then children, parents, and other relatives in a specific order. It also sets a 72-hour window for locating these individuals after a death; if they cannot be found or do not act within that time, the authority passes to the next person on the list. Additionally, the legislation restricts who can serve as a funeral representative, barring employees of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, or healthcare providers who treated the deceased from holding this role unless they are a surviving spouse or relative.