LEGISLATIVE FISCAL ESTIMATE

[First Reprint]

SENATE, No. 3007

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

221st LEGISLATURE

 

DATED: JUNE 26, 2025

 

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis:

Allows for natural organic reduction and controlled supervised decomposition of human remains.

Type of Impact:

Annual State expenditure increase; annual State revenue increase.

Agencies Affected:

Department of Law and Public Safety.

 

 

Office of Legislative Services Estimate

Fiscal Impact

 

 

Annual Expenditure Increase

Indeterminate

 

Annual State Revenue Increase

Indeterminate

 

 

 

 

·         The Office of Legislative Services (OLS) determines there would be an initial workload increase for the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey to update its rules and regulations to allow for the natural organic reduction or controlled supervised decomposition of deceased individuals.  Depending on the board’s resource allocation policies, the added initial workload may or may not augment the administrative expenditures of the board.

·         To the extent that the bill leads to the creation of new natural organic reduction facilities or the incorporation of natural organic reduction or controlled supervised decomposition practices into existing mortuary facilities, the board would incur some indeterminate annual oversight and enforcement costs related to the new practice.

·         The bill requires natural organic reduction facilities to be registered annually and for them to pay an annual registration fee of $25, which is the identical registration requirement of mortuary operators.  The OLS finds a revenue increase indeterminate as it is unknown how many existing mortuary facilities will add natural organic reduction to their services compared with new facilities that are established to provide the service.

 

BILL DESCRIPTION

 

      This bill allows for the natural organic reduction or controlled supervised decomposition of deceased individuals.

      Provisions in current law addressing embalming and funeral directing are updated under the bill to incorporate the creation and regulation of natural organic reduction facilities and the oversight of the organic reduction process.  Specifically, this bill authorizes the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey to adopt rules and regulations to establish minimum requirements for a natural organic reduction facility and the manner in which it is to be maintained, and minimum requirements for the process for conducting natural organic reduction.  The bill requires that a natural organic reduction facility receive a certificate of registration issued by the board.

 

 

FISCAL ANALYSIS

 

EXECUTIVE BRANCH

 

      None received.

 

OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES

 

      The OLS determines there would be an initial workload increase for the State Board of Mortuary Science of New Jersey to update its rules and regulations to allow for the natural organic reduction or controlled supervised decomposition of deceased individuals.  Depending on the board’s resource allocation policies, the added initial workload may or may not augment the administrative expenditures of the board.  To the extent that the bill leads to the creation of new natural organic reduction facilities or the incorporation of natural organic reduction or controlled supervised decomposition practices into existing mortuary facilities, the board would incur some indeterminate annual oversight and enforcement costs related to the new practice.

      Currently, mortuary facilities are required to register with the board annually and pay an annual registration fee of $25.  This bill would expand that requirement to those facilities operating as natural organic reduction facilities.  The OLS finds the State revenue increase for the bill to be indeterminate as it is unknown how many existing mortuary facilities will add natural organic reduction or controlled supervised decomposition to their list of services compared with new facilities being established to provide the service.  According to the FY 2026 Governor’s Budget, in FY 2024 there were 2,339 mortuary science licenses in force in New Jersey and 2,335 mortuary science licenses in force in FY 2023. 

 

Section:

Law and Public Safety

Analyst:

Kristin Brunner Santos

Lead Fiscal Analyst

Approved:

Thomas Koenig

Legislative Budget and Finance Officer

 

This legislative fiscal estimate has been produced by the Office of Legislative Services due to the failure of the Executive Branch to respond to our request for a fiscal note.

 

This fiscal estimate has been prepared pursuant to P.L.1980, c.67 (C.52:13B-6 et seq.).