(a) No operator of a crematory facility shall fail to ensure that a written receipt is provided to the person who delivers a dead human body or body parts to the facility for cremation.
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Terms Used In Tennessee Code 62-5-509

  • Board: means the board of funeral directors and embalmers. See Tennessee Code 62-5-101
  • Body parts: means limbs or other portions of the anatomy that are removed from a living person for medical purposes during biopsy, treatment or surgery. See Tennessee Code 62-5-501
  • Casket: means a rigid container that is designed for the encasement of a dead human body and that is constructed of wood, metal or another rigid material, is ornamented and lined with fabric and may or may not be combustible. See Tennessee Code 62-5-501
  • Cremation: means the heating process by which a human body or body parts are reduced to bone fragments through combustion and evaporation. See Tennessee Code 62-5-101
  • Crematory: includes crematorium. See Tennessee Code 62-5-101
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Person: includes a corporation, firm, company or association. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Record: means information that is inscribed on a tangible medium or that is stored in an electronic or other medium and is retrievable in a perceivable form. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • Representative: when applied to those who represent a decedent, includes executors and administrators, unless the context implies heirs and distributees. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) If the dead human body is other than one that was donated to science for purposes of medical education or research, the receipt shall be signed by both a representative of the crematory facility and the person who delivered the decedent to the crematory facility and shall indicate:

(1) The name of the decedent;
(2) The date and time of delivery;
(3) The type of casket or container, if any, in which the decedent was delivered to the facility;
(4) The name of the person who delivered the decedent to the facility, if applicable;
(5) The name of the funeral home or other establishment with whom the delivery person is affiliated; and
(6) The name of the person who received the decedent on behalf of the facility.
(c) If the dead human body was donated to science for purposes of medical education or research, the receipt shall indicate the name of the person who received the decedent on behalf of the facility.
(d)

(1) At the time of releasing cremated remains, an operator of a crematory facility shall ensure that a written receipt signed by both a representative of the crematory facility and the person who received the cremated remains is provided to the person who received the cremated remains. Unless the cremated remains are those of a dead human body that was donated to science for purposes of medical education or research or are those of body parts, the receipt shall indicate:

(A) The name of the decedent;
(B) The date and time of the release;
(C) The name of the person to whom the cremated remains were released;
(D) If applicable, the name of the funeral home, cemetery or other entity to whom the cremated remains were released; and
(E) The name of the person who released the cremated remains on behalf of the crematory facility.
(2) If the cremated remains are those of a dead human body that was donated to science for purposes of medical education or research or are those of body parts, the receipt shall be signed by both a representative of the crematory facility and the person who received the cremated remains; and the receipt shall indicate the date and time of the release. For other cremated remains, the receipt required by this section shall accompany the cremated remains. The signature of the person whose name is on the delivery receipt to accept delivery of the cremated remains meets the requirement of this section that the person receiving the cremated remains sign the receipt provided by the crematory facility.
(e) During the time that the crematory remains engaged in the business of cremating dead human bodies or body parts, the crematory facility shall keep the following for a period of at least seven (7) years:

(1) A copy of each receipt issued upon acceptance by or delivery to the crematory facility of a dead human body;
(2) A record of each cremation conducted at the facility, containing at least the name of the decedent or, in the case of body parts, the name of the decedent or living person from whom the body parts were removed, the date and time of the cremation and the final disposition made of the cremated remains;
(3) A copy of each delivery receipt issued under this section; and
(4) A separate record of the cremated remains of each decedent or the body parts removed from each decedent or living person that were disposed of containing at least the name of the decedent, the date and time of the cremation and the location, date and manner of final disposition of the cremated remains.
(f) All records required to be maintained under this part are subject to inspection by the board of funeral directors and embalmers or an authorized representative of the board, upon reasonable notice, at any reasonable time.
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