ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A failed cremation business that broke the trust of families across the region is now inspiring state-level change.
“I was angry. I was angry to our institutions. But my anger has a purpose," Delegate Harry Bhandari of Baltimore County said.
"This is not about one facility, or one case. It is about ensuring that every funeral home and every crematory in Maryland operates with dignity and respect," he said.
His bill, H.B. 1555, is up for a hearing on Thursday in front of the Health and Government Operations Committee.
It aims to restore accountability, transparency and public trust in the funeral industry, following the reports of chronic issues at Heaven Bound Cremation Services in Charles County which served both Baltimore and D.C.
Improper storage of bodies and unsanitary conditions were just some of the many violations reported by the Maryland Board of Morticians and Funeral Directors in January. Confusion, anger and frustration lingered among clients after the board shut the business down, as some struggled to receive loved ones' remains.
Many say they are haunted by the realities with what happened behind closed doors.
READ MORE: State police investigating crematorium shut down by oversight board
Though these problems first gained public attention earlier in the year. The business had been cited more than once dating back to 2017, though the owners, Rosa and Brandon Williams, never faced more than a $2,000 fine.
The proposed bill would require unannounced inspections following violations within 30 days of the report as well as stiffen penalties up to $50,000 to dissuade repeat offenders.
State-level change for the funeral and cremation industry in Maryland
Limited resources have restricted oversight capabilities in recent years.
“There are certain funeral homes [that have not been] inspected since COVID. And there’s only one inspector general who inspects the funeral homes from Oakland to Ocean city, Dundalk to Denton. That's impossible," Bhandari said.
The bill would also require the creation of a public database, to make it easier for families to find prior disciplinary records before choosing services.
It comes as the clock is ticking to get bills moving by crossover day on Monday. The bill, already filed late, is on crunch time to make it over the hump.
On Wednesday, the board voted in favor of the bill with amendments.
"At the end of the day, they are the one who has to implement, so I have to be aware that the bill is both practical and enforceable as well," Bhandari said. "I'm open to any amendment to the bill as long as we have teeth on the bill."
There remains an ongoing criminal investigation and pending civil litigation against the business as an independent review of the board of morticians ordered by Governor Wes Moore continues.
Because the owners did not inform the landlord of the violations, they are in the process of evicting Heaven Bound's owners.
