Ch. 209                                    1996 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(3) the Secretary of State or Secretary of State's designee; and
(3) 13(4) 18 members appointed by the Governor as follows:

(i) 1 representative of the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene;

(ii) 1 representative of the Department of Human Resources;

(iii) 1 licensed physician;

(iv) 1 representative of the Office on Aging;

(v) 2 3 licensed morticians, one of whom shall be a small proprietor;

(vi) 1 representative 3 2 representatives of the for-profit cemetery
industry, one of whom shall be a resident cemetery owner;

(vii) 1 representative 2 representatives from a nonprofit cemetery;

(vii) (viii) 1 representative of the hospice industry;

(viii) (ix) 1 representative of the Attorney General's Office; and

(x) 1 representative from the Department of Labor, Licensing, and
Regulation; and

(ix) (xi) 4 members at large.

(c)     The Governor shall designate the Chairperson of. the Task Force.

(d)     Staff support for the Task Force shall be provided by the Department of
Legislative Reference.

(e)     The purposes and responsibilities of the Task Force are to:

(1) identify small businesses in the funeral and burial industries;

(1) (2) assess:

(i) the regulation of the funeral industry in this State and other states;

(ii) the costs to consumers of funeral merchandise, including caskets,
cremations, and burial plots; and

(iii) the costs to the State and local governments for the burial of
indigent individuals;

(iv) interest rates and financing charges in the burial industries;

(v) the issues facing small businesses in the funeral and burial
industries;

(vi) the religious needs of various consumers as they relate to burial
practices; and

(vii) the reinterment of remains that are discovered in the development
of property;

- 1650 -