Colorado § 12-135-112 - Standards of practice - embalming - transporting.

§ 12-135-112. Standards of practice - embalming - transporting.

(1) A funeral establishment that performs embalming shall:

(a) Repealed.

(b) Employ universal biological hazard precautions;

(c) Employ reasonable care to minimize the risk of transmitting communicable diseases from human remains;

(d) Be equipped with instruments and supplies necessary to protect the health and safety of the public and employees of the funeral establishment; and

(e) Transport human remains in a safe and sanitary manner.

(2) A funeral establishment that transports human remains shall:

(a) Use a motor vehicle that is appropriate for the transportation of human remains; and

(b) Transport human remains in a manner that:

(I) Is customary within the profession;

(II) Is safe, sanitary, and dignified; and

(III) Does not involve stacking human remains.

(3) A funeral establishment shall remove any implanted device in human remains before transporting the body to a crematory or commencing cremation.

(4) A funeral establishment shall maintain a sanitary preparation room with:

(a) Sanitary flooring;

(b) Drainage;

(c) Ventilation;

(d) Access to refrigeration sufficient to accommodate the needs of the funeral establishment; and

(e) Other equipment necessary to maintain sanitary conditions.

Source: L. 2019: Entire title R&RE with relocations, (HB 19-1172), ch. 136, p. 949, § 1, effective October 1. L. 2024: (1)(a) repealed and (4) added, (HB 24-1335), ch. 242, p. 1601, § 12, effective May 24. L. 2026: (2)(b), (3), and (4) amended, (HB 26-1258), ch. 383, p. 2394, § 7, effective August 12.

Editor's note: (1) This section is similar to former § 12-54-112 as it existed prior to 2019.

(2) Subsections IP(4), (4)(a), (4)(b), (4)(c), (4)(d), and (4)(e) were numbered as IP(4)(a), (4)(a)(I), (4)(a)(II), (4)(a)(III), (4)(a)(IV), and (4)(a)(V), respectively, in HB 26-1258 but have been renumbered on revision for ease of location.

(3) Section 33(2) of chapter 383 (HB 26-1258), Session Laws of Colorado 2026, provides that the act changing this section applies to offenses committed; license and registration applications filed; certificates of death initiated, completed, responded to, or filed; and contracts entered into or renewed on or after August 12, 2026.