DENVER — Colorado lawmakers passed a sweeping bill Monday to overhaul the state's lax oversight which failed to catch a series of horrific incidents involving funeral homes, including sold body parts, fake ashes and the discovery of 190 decaying bodies.
The cases have devastated hundreds of already grieving families, and encouraged lawmakers to pass the bill, which now goes to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis' desk for a signature.
If signed, the law would give regulators far greater enforcement power over funeral homes and require routine inspections of facilities including after one shutters.
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Bedayn is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues.
