24.147.403    MORTUARY TRANSFERS, INSPECTIONS, AND TEMPORARY PERMITS

(1) Upon receipt of a completed application for a new mortuary license and accompanying fee, the department shall inspect the mortuary for compliance with board laws and rules.

(a) Except as provided in (3), a "new" mortuary, for the purposes of this rule, includes newly constructed mortuaries and existing mortuaries acquired by new owners, whether by sale or devise.

(b) Except upon issuance of a temporary license, the new mortuary may not operate until the board deems the mortuary and its operations to be in substantial compliance with board laws and rules after review of the application and inspection report. 

(c) The applicant may apply for and receive a temporary license from the department provided there is no reason to deny the license under 37-1-316, MCA, or board rules defining unprofessional conduct. The mortuary may operate under the temporary permit until the board grants a license or issues an interim summary suspension order if warranted, or final order to deny it.

(d) The department inspector shall provide a written inspection report to the licensee in charge of the mortuary and to the board office.

(e) The licensee in charge of the mortuary shall submit to the board office a written response to all items of noncompliance no later than ten business days after the inspection.

(f) The board shall review all inspection reports indicating noncompliance, and any responses to the inspection at the next regularly scheduled board meeting after the inspection. For good cause, the board may request a reinspection; the costs of which shall be paid by the applicant prior to issuance of a permanent license.

(2) A mortuary under new ownership shall comply with the notification provisions at ARM 24.147.903 and provide a signed statement of relinquishment of license from the previous owner.

(3) The owner of a mortuary may transfer a mortuary license to a different mortuary and maintain the same license number only when terminating services at the former mortuary, upon submission of an application for transfer with the new information pertaining to the mortuary and applicable fees.

(a) The same process for obtaining a temporary permit, inspection, and approval set forth in (1)(b) through (f) applies to applications for a mortuary transfer.

(b) In the case of license transfers, staff shall link the license history of the former mortuary location to the new mortuary location.

(4) The department shall conduct annual mortuary inspections with or without advanced notice for compliance with board laws and rules, following the same steps outlined in (1)(d) through (f), except that the screening panel will review reports of significant noncompliance referred to it by the board, and determine whether further investigation or disciplinary action is warranted.

History: 37-1-131, 37-19-202, 37-19-403, MCA; IMP, 37-19-402, 37-19-403, 37-19-703, 75-10-1001, 75-10-1002, 75-10-1003, 75-10-1004, 75-10-1005, 75-10-1006, MCA; Eff. 12/31/72; TRANS, from Dept. of Prof. & Occup. Lic., Ch. 274, L. 1981, Eff. 7/1/81; AMD, 1985 MAR p. 1610, Eff. 11/1/85; AMD, 1992 MAR p. 136, Eff. 1/31/92; AMD, 1996 MAR p. 2425, Eff. 9/20/96; TRANS, from Commerce, 2002 MAR p. 790; AMD, 2006 MAR p. 1169, Eff. 5/5/06; AMD, 2013 MAR p. 1191, Eff. 7/12/13; AMD, 2016 MAR p. 314, Eff. 2/20/16.