Bill Text: HI SB2718 | 2010 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Death Benefits

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2010-02-09 - (S) The committee on HMS deferred the measure. [SB2718 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2010-SB2718-Introduced.html

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

2718

TWENTY-FIFTH LEGISLATURE, 2010

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 

 

 

 

 

 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

 

RELATING TO DEATH BENEFITS.

 

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 


     SECTION 1.  Section 346-15, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended to read as follows:

     "§346-15  [Burial of] Death benefits for deceased medical or financial assistance recipients [or] and disposition of unclaimed corpses.  (a)  Where the decedent was a medical or financial assistance recipient at the time of death and is ineligible for the Social Security Lump-Sum Death Benefit, [The] the department of human services may [bear the cost of the burial of deceased medical or financial assistance recipients or unclaimed corpses.  Burial services include the customary mortuary, crematory, cemetery, and other services essential in providing a dignified burial.] issue a lump-sum death benefit in an amount equal to the Social Security Administration's Lump-Sum Death Benefit for that year.

     (b)  [The department may pay for mortuary and crematory services to be furnished by any licensed provider of mortuary and crematory services.  Mortuary and crematory payments shall be made to the extent of cost, or in the sum of $400, whichever is less.The department may authorize and bear the cost of the mortuary and crematory services for unclaimed corpses furnished by any licensed provider of mortuary or crematory services.  Payments for mortuary and crematory services shall be made to the extent of cost, or in the sum of $800 in total, whichever is less, for each unclaimed corpse.

     [(c)  The department may pay for cemetery services, to be furnished by any licensed provider of cemetery services.  Cemetery payments shall be made to the extent of cost, or in the sum of $400, whichever is less. 

     (d)  In cases where the decedent is survived by relatives, the relatives shall be permitted to make their own arrangements for the burial or cremation of their deceased relative.]

     [(e)  The person submitting an application for funeral payments under the department's funeral payment program,(c)  Any person submitting an application for the lump-sum death benefit described in subsection (a) on behalf of a deceased medical or financial assistance recipient, shall have sixty days from the date of the death of the deceased to submit the application [for funeral payments] to the department.  [This subsection shall not apply to applications submitted by the respective county medical examiner or coroner on behalf of unclaimed corpses.

      (f)  All unclaimed corpses shall be cremated.  The department of human services shall authorize the cremation of unclaimed corpses.]  

     [(g)] (d)  A person or public or private agency, including the department of human services, shall not be liable for any damage or subject to criminal prosecution for any act done pursuant to and in compliance with this section.

     [(h)] (e)  For [the] purposes of this section, "unclaimed corpse" means the remains of any deceased person for whom no one has assumed responsibility for disposition of the body within five working days, excluding weekends, from the date of death and about whom the department and the respective county medical examiner or coroner have no actual knowledge of a legally responsible party.

     [(i)] (f)  The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 for purposes of administering and implementing this section." 

     SECTION 2.   Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken.  New statutory material is underscored.

    

SECTION 3.   This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

 

 

BY REQUEST


 


 

Report Title:

Death Benefits

 

Description:

To provide a State lump-sum death benefit in an amount equal to the Social Security Administration’s Lump-Sum Death Benefit for deceased medical or financial assistance recipients who are ineligible for the Social Security Administration benefit.

 

 

 

The summary description of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.

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