SENATE JUDICIARY COMMITTEE
STATEMENT TO
ASSEMBLY, No. 695
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
DATED: MAY 2, 1996
The Senate Judiciary Committee reports favorably Assembly Bill No. 695.
This bill would clarify that counties are responsible for the burial costs of indigent, unidentified or unclaimed deceased persons. Under current law there is a conflict between R.S.44:1-157 and section 1 of P.L.1987, c.67 (C.40A:9-49.1) as to whether the municipality or county is responsible for the burial costs. This bill repeals R.S.44:1-157 to make it clear that the county is responsible for the burial costs and adds language to other statutes to cover the disposition of unclaimed dead bodies, whether or not an identity has been established.