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What it is

Rules so funeral companies compete and you choose freely

Admitted step 2 of 7 · Unfinished

It is a members’ bill. Introduced by parliamentary groups, the Senate, regional governments or citizens. It was introduced on 13 December 2011. Introduced by: Grupo Parlamentario Socialista.

Official title: Private member's bill on funeral services.

Follow this law

Source: Congreso de los Diputados, file 122/000006· updated 11 Nov

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

  1. The bill would let any company provide funeral services nationwide by filing a single responsible statement with the town council where it sets up, with no extra requirements in other municipalities.
  2. Companies that move bodies would have to meet duties such as using a funeral vehicle, performing basic hygiene treatment, and supplying coffins and funeral materials.
  3. Bodies would be classified into three groups by public health risk. Only those with infectious disease or radiological risk would face restrictions; the rest could be moved freely within Spain.
  4. Burial or cremation would generally have to take place within 72 hours of death, extendable to one week with a special coffin, temporary preservation, or embalming.
  5. The bill would guarantee free choice of funeral provider, even with a death insurance policy, and companies would have to offer a price and service catalog plus a free written quote.
  6. The rules would not apply to ashes or to organ transplants, and the law would take effect the day after its publication in the official state gazette.

Who it affects

  • Relatives and friends of deceased people: They could freely choose the funeral company and get clear information on prices and services.
  • Funeral companies: They could operate nationwide with a single responsible statement and would face new information duties.
  • Town councils: They would receive the responsible statements and check the conditions of funeral homes.
  • Death insurance companies: They would have to offer a list of funeral providers that guarantees free choice.

Words worth knowing

Declaración responsable (responsible statement)
A document in which a company declares it meets the required duties, allowing it to start operating.
Tanatorio-velatorio (funeral home)
A facility where deceased people are laid out before burial or cremation.
Embalsamamiento (embalming)
A method that prevents the decay of the body.
Seguro de decesos (death insurance)
Insurance that covers funeral costs and services when the insured person dies.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries

Where it stands

How far did it get?

It took 2 of 7 steps. It reached Admitted, and today it is unfinished.

  1. Introduced13 December 2011Someone registers the text in the Congreso.
  2. Admitted21 December 2011The Bureau of the Congreso accepts it and, for a members’ bill, the plenary decides whether to consider it.
  3. Amendmentsnot reachedGroups propose changes.
  4. Committeenot reachedA committee goes through the text in detail.
  5. Plenarynot reachedAll 350 deputies vote.
  6. Senatenot reachedThe Senate can pass it, amend it or veto it.
  7. BOEnot reachedIt is published in the Official State Gazette (BOE) and comes into force.
See the 6 official steps on a timeline
Dec 2011Dec 2012Dec 2013Dec 201411. 13 December 2011: Presentación22. 21 December 2011: Boletín Oficial de las Cortes Generales Publicación desde 21/12/2011 hasta 27/12/201133. 21 December 2011: Calificación44. 27 December 2011: Gobierno Contestación desde 27/12/2011 hasta 03/03/201255. 3 March 2012: Pleno Toma en consideración desde 03/03/2012 hasta 27/10/201566. 27 October 2015: Concluido - (Caducado) desde 27/10/2015 hasta 20/11/2015

Was there a plenary vote?

We have no plenary vote linked to this law in the Congreso’s data.

What happens next

What happens now?

The legislature ended before it finished. To go on, someone would have to introduce it again in the new Cortes.

It has not been presented again yet.

Sources

Where does all this come from?

  • The data comes from the open files of the Congreso, the Senate and the BOE, unaltered.
  • Each deputy’s province is the one of their seat on the day of the vote.
  • We only say “passed” or “rejected” when the majority needed is certain; otherwise we say which side had more votes.

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