Maine § 1400. - Definitions

§ 1400.. Definitions

When used in this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words shall have the following meanings:   [PL 1967, c. 253, §1 (NEW).]

1.  Advertisement.  "Advertisement" means the publication, dissemination, circulation or placing before the public, or causing directly or indirectly to be made, published, disseminated or placed before the public any announcement or statement in a newspaper, magazine or other publication, or in the form of a book, notice, circular, pamphlet, letter, handbill, poster, bill, sign, placard, card, label or tag, or over any radio or television station.

1-A.  Board.  "Board" means the State Board of Funeral Service.

2.  Burial.  "Burial" includes interment in any form or cremation and the transportation of the human remains necessary therefor.

2-A.  Commissioner.  "Commissioner" means the Commissioner of Professional and Financial Regulation.

3.  Funeral establishment.  "Funeral establishment" means every place or premises devoted to or used in the care and preparation for the funeral and burial of human remains or maintained for the convenience of the bereaved for viewing or other services in connection with the human remains or as the office or place for carrying on the profession of funeral service.

4.  Funeral service profession.  "Funeral service profession" means the aggregate of all funeral service licensees and their duties and responsibilities in connection with the funeral as an organized, purposeful, time limited, flexible, group centered response to death.

4-A.  Natural organic reduction.  "Natural organic reduction" means the contained accelerated conversion of human remains to soil.

4-B.  Natural organic reduction facility.  "Natural organic reduction facility" means a building or structure or a room or other space in a building or structure or real property where natural organic reduction is facilitated and occurs.

5.  Practice of funeral service.  "Practice of funeral service" means the engagement of a person in the care or disposition of the human remains or in the practice of disinfecting and preparing by embalming or otherwise the human remains for the funeral service, transportation of human remains to the place of burial, cremation or natural organic reduction, or the practice of helping to meet the emotions and disposition of the bereaved or the practice of funeral directing or embalming as presently known, whether under these titles or designations or otherwise. "Practice of funeral service" also means making arrangements for funeral services or making financial arrangements for the rendering of such services. "Practice of funeral service" does not mean the ownership or operation of a cemetery, crematorium, natural organic reduction facility, mausoleum or columbarium or any other facility used for burial of human remains. "Practice of funeral service" does not include the transportation of human remains by an authorized person. "Practice of funeral service" does not include the manufacturing or selling of caskets or alternative containers.

A license for the practice of funeral service as used in this chapter is the license given to a person who is engaged in the practice of funeral service as above defined.  

6.  Practitioner trainee.  "Practitioner trainee" means a person who is engaged in preparing to become licensed for the practice of funeral service under the personal supervision and instruction of a person duly licensed for the practice of funeral service, and who is duly registered as such and approved by the board.