Sep 2022
California
Human composting was legalized in California in September, 2022. The bill will go into effect in January 2027.
AB351 (2022)
AB351 was the third CA bill aimed at legalizing human composting, following AB 2592 in 2020 and AB501 in 2021. Governor Newsom signed the natural organic reduction bill September 18, 2022.
AB501 (2021)
AB501 was the second bill aimed at legalizing human composting, following AB 2592 in 2020. Despite strong bipartisan support, positive reception in several committee hearings, and over 300 letters of support from constituents, in August 2021 the California State Senate elected not to move AB501 forward toward legalization. This decision, which came as a surprise to the bill’s sponsors, was likely influenced by the California governor recall.
Assembly member Cristina Garcia and Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman sponsored this legislation. AB 501 successfully passed out of the California State Assembly, the Senate Health Committee, the Senate Business & Professions Committee.
AB 2592 (2020)
Recompose also worked to legalize our process during the 2020 session, though the bill was ultimately shelved due to pandemic-related budget concerns. In March 2020, Assembly member Cristina Garcia introduced AB 2592 to legalize natural organic reduction in California. The bill successfully passed out of the Assembly thanks in part to over 100 letters of support from the Recompose community and an endorsement from the Los Angeles Times. The Senate Committee on Business, Professions and Economic Development passed the bill unanimously on August 10, 2020.
The bill was then referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for considering the cost of potential new laws. Due to budget shortfalls created by the COVID-19 pandemic, on August 20 the Senate Appropriations Committee declined to move AB 2592 forward.
Join Our Community
It’s thanks to the growing movement of people across the country and world that we were able to legalize human composting in California. We can’t do this work without the support of our community. Here are a few ways to get involved:
- Subscribe to our newsletter – get news and updates on the human composting movement
- Shop Recompose Gifts & Gear – show the world you’re a human composting enthusiast and support those who couldn’t otherwise afford our services
- Tour Recompose – Sign up for an in-person or online tour to see our facility and learn more about human composting
- Join Precompose – Pay in advance and make arrangements for your future human composting with Recompose
