The Florida Senate

497.337  Prohibition on sale of personal property or services.--

(1)  This section applies to all cemetery companies licensed pursuant to this chapter that offer for sale or sell personal property or services which may be used in a cemetery in connection with the burial of human remains or the commemoration of the memory of a deceased human being and also to any person in direct written contractual relationship with licensed cemetery companies.

(2)(a)  Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, no cemetery company shall directly or indirectly enter into a contract for the sale of personal property or services, excluding burial or interment rights, which may be used in a cemetery in connection with disposing of human remains, or commemorating the memory of a deceased human being, if delivery of the personal property or performance of the service is to be made more than 120 days after receipt of final payment under the contract of sale, except as provided in s. 497.417 This shall include, but not be limited to, the sale for future delivery of burial vaults, grave liners, urns, memorials, vases, foundations, memorial bases, and similar merchandise and related services commonly sold or used in cemeteries and interment fees but excluding burial or interment rights.

(b)  For the purposes of this section, the term "delivery" means actual delivery and installation at the time of need or at the request of the owner or the owner's agent. Merchandise is not considered delivered under paragraph (a) if it is stored on the grounds of the cemetery or at a storage facility except for monuments, markers, and permanent outer burial receptacles that are stored in a protected environment and are comprised of materials designed to withstand prolonged, protected storage without adversely affecting the structural integrity or aesthetic characteristics of such permanent outer burial receptacles.

(c)  In lieu of delivery as required by paragraph (b), for sales to cemetery companies and funeral establishments, and only for such sales, the manufacturer of a permanent outer burial receptacle which meets standards adopted by the board may elect, at its discretion, to comply with the delivery requirements of this section by annually submitting, in writing, evidence of the manufacturer's financial responsibility with the board for its review and approval. The standards and procedures to establish evidence of financial responsibility shall be those in s. 497.423 or s. 497.425, with the manufacturer of permanent outer burial receptacles which meet national industry standards assuming the same rights and responsibilities as those of a certificateholder under s. 497.423 or s. 497.425

(3)  No nonprofit cemetery corporation which has been incorporated and engaged in the cemetery business prior to and continuously since 1915 and which has current trust assets exceeding $2 million shall be required to designate a corporate trustee.

History.--s. 6, ch. 72-78; s. 3, ch. 76-168; s. 1, ch. 77-457; s. 11, ch. 78-407; ss. 23, 39, 40, ch. 80-238; s. 411, ch. 81-259; ss. 2, 3, ch. 81-318; ss. 2, 3, ch. 82-7; s. 13, ch. 85-202; s. 7, ch. 88-227; s. 1, ch. 89-8; ss. 76, 122, ch. 93-399.

Note.--Former s. 559.441; s. 497.048.