Minnesota Session Laws - 2003, Regular Session

                            CHAPTER 32-S.F.No. 1071 
                  An act relating to health; applying licensure 
                  regulations and requirements to the alkaline 
                  hydrolysis process; amending Minnesota Statutes 2002, 
                  section 149A.02, by adding a subdivision; proposing 
                  coding for new law in Minnesota Statutes, chapter 149A.
        BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: 
           Section 1.  Minnesota Statutes 2002, section 149A.02, is 
        amended by adding a subdivision to read: 
           Subd. 1a.  [ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS.] "Alkaline hydrolysis" 
        means the reduction of a dead human body to essential elements 
        through exposure to a combination of heat and alkaline 
        hydrolysis and the repositioning or movement of the body during 
        the process to facilitate reduction, the processing of the 
        remains after removal from the alkaline hydrolysis chamber, 
        placement of the processed remains in a remains container, and 
        release of the remains to an appropriate party.  Alkaline 
        hydrolysis is a form of final disposition. 
           Sec. 2.  [149A.025] [ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS.] 
           For purposes of this chapter, the disposal of a dead human 
        body through the process of alkaline hydrolysis shall be subject 
        to the same licensing requirements and regulations that apply to 
        cremation, crematories, and cremated remains as described in 
        this chapter.  The licensing requirements and regulations of 
        this chapter shall also apply to the entities where the process 
        of alkaline hydrolysis occurs and to the remains that result 
        from the alkaline hydrolysis process. 
           Presented to the governor May 8, 2003 
           Signed by the governor May 12, 2003, 2:45 p.m.