HB 3660: Natural organic reduction; Class D1 criminal offenses; licenses; requiring certain records be maintained for certain time period; effective date. - Oklahoma

Floor (House) → Floor (Senate) · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to transition from a House version focused on general funeral service definitions to a Senate version that explicitly centers on regulating 'natural organic reduction.' The Senate version adds specific criminal offenses related to fraud and aircraft tampering, expands the scope of the Funeral Board's authority to inspect organic reduction facilities, and clarifies that organic reduction facilities cannot be licensed separately from funeral establishments.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include 'natural organic reduction' as a regulated profession alongside traditional cremation, requiring specific licensing and inspection protocols for these facilities.

SCOPE

Added explicit focus on 'natural organic reduction' as a regulated activity, requiring licensure and specific facility standards.

DEFINITION

Added new criminal offenses related to fraud, false warehouse receipts, and aircraft tampering to the list of Class D1 felonies.

REQUIREMENT

Clarified that natural organic reduction facilities must be licensed together with a funeral or embalming establishment and cannot operate as standalone entities.

Added requirements for maintaining specific records for organic reduction facilities and ensuring secure holding facilities.

ENFORCEMENT

Expanded the Oklahoma Funeral Board's inspection authority to include establishments that engage in organic reduction.

HB3660 (4-28-26) (GRELLNER) FA1.PDF → Floor (House) · 5 edits

MODERATE

This bill amends Oklahoma's Funeral Services Licensing Act to formally include 'natural organic reduction' (a process similar to composting for human remains) within the legal definitions of funeral services. The changes ensure that facilities performing organic reduction are treated with the same regulatory requirements as traditional funeral homes and crematories.

Scope change

The bill expands the scope of the Funeral Services Licensing Act to explicitly cover natural organic reduction facilities, bringing them under the same licensing, inspection, and regulatory oversight as crematories and funeral establishments.

DEFINITION

Added 'natural organic reduction' to the list of services covered under the Funeral Services Licensing Act, specifically including it in the definition of 'funeral director' and 'first call'.

REQUIREMENT

Established that individuals and businesses engaged in organic reduction must be licensed by the Oklahoma Funeral Board, matching the requirements for crematories.

Required organic reduction facilities to maintain records and follow the same regulations regarding residue management as crematories.

ENFORCEMENT

Extended the Oklahoma Funeral Board's authority to inspect premises engaged in organic reduction and provided for license revocation or suspension if regulations are violated.

Made it a felony to operate an organic reduction facility without a license or permit.

Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill → HB3660 (4-28-26) (GRELLNER) FA1.PDF · 3 edits

MINOR

The document was converted from a House Bill draft to a Senate Committee Substitute, updating the official title and sponsor credits. A new floor amendment was introduced to modify the definition of natural organic reduction, changing the description of the material from 'soil produced by natural organic reduction' to 'human remains as fertilizer or a soil additive' to clarify the scope of the practice.

Scope change

The bill's scope was technically refined by the amendment to explicitly define the material used in natural organic reduction as human remains intended for use as fertilizer or soil additive, rather than just the resulting soil.

DEFINITION

The definition of natural organic reduction was amended to specify that it involves human remains used as fertilizer or a soil additive, replacing the previous reference to 'soil produced by natural organic reduction'.

TECHNICAL

The document header was updated to reflect the Senate Committee Substitute status and included a floor amendment proposal by Senator Grellner.

Original House Bill formatting and specific sponsor attribution details were replaced with the Senate Committee Substitute structure.

House Committee Substitute → Senate Committee Substitute for House Bill · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from a general funeral services update to specifically focus on regulating 'natural organic reduction.' The Senate version adds new co-sponsors, updates the bill title, and significantly rewrites the summary to explicitly include organic reduction facilities, fees, and felony charges for unlicensed operations. The text also reorganizes the statutory definitions to ensure organic reduction is treated with the same regulatory weight as cremation.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include and regulate 'natural organic reduction' facilities, previously implied but not explicitly defined in the summary. It now mandates licensure, inspection, and specific fee structures for these new facilities.

SCOPE

The bill title and summary were rewritten to explicitly include 'natural organic reduction' as a regulated profession alongside cremation.

ELIGIBILITY

Co-sponsors were added to the bill, indicating a change in legislative sponsorship or support.

REQUIREMENT

The summary now explicitly lists requirements for licensure, record-keeping, and inspections specific to organic reduction facilities.

ENFORCEMENT

The summary confirms that operating an organic reduction facility without a license is subject to felony charges, aligning it with existing cremation regulations.

DEFINITION

The text was reorganized to prepare for new definitions of terms related to organic reduction, such as 'organic reduction facility' and 'residue from organically reduced bodies'.

Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 → House Committee Substitute · 4 edits

MODERATE

The bill was rewritten to formally include 'natural organic reduction' (green burial) under the same regulatory framework as traditional cremation. This change ensures that facilities performing organic reduction are licensed, inspected, and held to the same legal standards as crematories, closing a regulatory gap.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly cover natural organic reduction facilities, previously only covering crematories, and updated the bill title to reflect this broader oversight.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'Funeral director' to include individuals responsible for the legal operation of natural organic reduction facilities.

Added new statutory definitions for 'natural organic reduction' and related terms to align with existing cremation regulations.

TECHNICAL

Modified the bill title and header to remove 'Proposed Oversight' and add language regarding licensure, record-keeping, and inspection for natural organic reduction facilities.

REQUIREMENT

Added new requirements for licensing, record-keeping, and inspections specifically for natural organic reduction facilities.

Enrolled (final version) → Proposed Committee Substitute (full committee) 1 · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to shift its focus from a broad mix of unrelated crimes to specifically regulating the funeral industry and natural organic reduction. The new version adds 'natural organic reduction' to the legal definitions of a funeral director and funeral establishment, ensuring these services are treated with the same licensing and oversight standards as traditional funeral homes.

Scope change

The bill's scope narrowed significantly; it no longer covers unrelated offenses like aircraft fraud or horse racing violations, and instead exclusively targets the regulation of professions and occupations within the funeral services sector.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to public warehouse fraud, aircraft crimes, and horse racing regulations, replacing them with a focus solely on funeral services.

DEFINITION

Added 'natural organic reduction' to the definition of a 'funeral director' and 'funeral establishment,' legally classifying organic reduction facilities as funeral homes.

REQUIREMENT

Established a requirement for individuals engaged in natural organic reduction to obtain a specific license from the Oklahoma Funeral Board.

Extended the Oklahoma Funeral Board's inspection authority to include establishments that perform organic reduction.

ENFORCEMENT

Made the practice of natural organic reduction without a license or permit a subject of felony charges.

Engrossed → Enrolled (final version) · 6 edits · May 6, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was finalized to regulate 'natural organic reduction' (a process of returning bodies to the earth without chemicals), treating it legally the same as cremation. The final version clarifies that organic reduction facilities must be licensed alongside funeral homes, requires specific record-keeping, and subjects these facilities to inspections by the Oklahoma Funeral Board. It also updates criminal penalties for unlicensed practice and aligns fee schedules to include organic reduction.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded to explicitly include 'natural organic reduction' as a regulated profession, placing it under the same legal framework as cremation and traditional funeral services.

DEFINITION

Updated the definition of 'Funeral director' to explicitly include individuals responsible for operating natural organic reduction facilities.

REQUIREMENT

Mandated that natural organic reduction facilities cannot be licensed separately from a funeral or embalming establishment and must have a licensed funeral director in charge.

Required organic reduction facilities to maintain specific identification systems and secure holding areas for remains.

ENFORCEMENT

Established that operating an organic reduction facility without a license is a felony offense.

TIMELINE

Set the effective date for new criminal classifications related to organic reduction to be on or after January 1, 2026.

FISCAL

Added a specific fee for the licensing and renewal of natural organic reduction facilities.

Amended And Engrossed → Engrossed · 5 edits · May 6, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was amended to expand its scope from solely regulating cremation to also regulating 'natural organic reduction' (a process of decomposing remains into soil). This change adds new definitions for organic reduction, requires facilities performing this process to be licensed alongside funeral homes, and subjects them to the same inspection and revocation standards as crematories.

Scope change

The bill's scope was significantly expanded to include natural organic reduction facilities, previously only covering cremation. It now treats organic reduction and cremation as equivalent regulated activities under the Funeral Services Licensing Act.

SCOPE

The bill's purpose was updated to explicitly include 'natural organic reduction' alongside cremation, changing the focus from just cremation to both cremation and organic reduction.

DEFINITION

New definitions were added for terms like 'natural organic reduction' and 'organic reduction facility' to clarify what the law covers.

REQUIREMENT

New requirements mandate that individuals engaged in organic reduction must be licensed, and organic reduction facilities cannot operate separately from a licensed funeral or embalming establishment.

Regulations previously specific to cremation, such as residue handling and facility standards, were updated to apply equally to organic reduction facilities.

ENFORCEMENT

The bill now allows the Oklahoma Funeral Board to inspect establishments engaging in organic reduction and provides grounds for license revocation if organic reduction is performed without a license.

Introduced → Amended And Engrossed · 5 edits · May 6, 2026

MODERATE

The bill was significantly amended to shift its focus from general funeral services to specifically regulating natural organic reduction (green burial). The changes add new criminal offenses related to aircraft and fraud, redefine key terms to include organic reduction facilities, and establish a new licensing framework for these specific facilities.

Scope change

The bill's scope expanded from general funeral services to explicitly include and regulate natural organic reduction facilities, while also adding unrelated criminal provisions regarding aircraft.

SCOPE

Added a new section creating specific criminal offenses related to aircraft operations, fraud, and arson that were not present in the original bill.

DEFINITION

Updated statutory definitions to include 'natural organic reduction' and related terms, ensuring these facilities are legally recognized under the act.

REQUIREMENT

Established new requirements for licensing natural organic reduction facilities, including mandates that they cannot be licensed separately from a funeral or embalming establishment.

Modified fee structures and renewal processes to account for the new category of natural organic reduction facilities.

Added provisions requiring specific security measures, identification systems, and residue disposal procedures for organic reduction facilities.

Natural organic reduction; Class D1 criminal offenses; licenses; requiring certain records be maintained for certain time period; effective date.

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