On March 6, 2024, Associate Policy Director Dominic Butchko submitted a Letter of Information to the House Environment and Transportation Committee on HB 1374- Environment- Crematory- Setback Requirements and Permits. This bill prohibits locating a crematory within 1000 feet of certain types of properties.
There are certain instances where state or federal policy may cross over into the land use sphere, primarily for health and safety reasons. HB 1374 is intended for just that purpose. Counties suggest amendments which align with the bills intent and establish guardrails to avoid unintended consequences.
MACo would like to highlight some caution on the potential impact of HB 1374 and suggest clarifying language which would satisfy county leaders’ concerns. As drafted, there is a concern that this bill may be interpreted to include existing crematories as well as those developed in the future. In especially rural communities, crematories serve a vital purpose and are greatly limited in number. If state policy were to inadvertently shutter the operations of this critical infrastructure, including current providers, the impact could be unmanageable.
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