Sep 2022
Movement to Change State Funeral Laws Continues
California became the fifth state to legalize human composting as an alternative to cremation or burial
On Sunday September 18th, 2022, California became the fifth state to legalize human composting as an alternative to cremation or burial. Governor Newsom signed the bill, which was based on the original 2019 Washington State human composting bill. The five states which have now legalized this green funeral option include WA, CA, CO, OR, and VT. All state legislatures refer to the process of human composting as Natural Organic Reduction (NOR).
The California bill failed twice before, making it all the way to the Governor’s desk in 2021 only to be vetoed. However, in its third year, efforts by Recompose and Assembly Member Cristina Garcia helped get the bill fully approved and signed into law.
Recompose first approached Washington State’s legislature after meeting with Senator Jamie Pedersen in 2018. Senator Pedersen went on to sponsor the first bill in the world to legalize this new death care option. Recompose has subsequently been involved in the passage of human composting laws in each of the additional four states, providing expert testimony to legislative committees, sharing best practices with regulatory bodies, and garnering support via grassroots efforts of its community and network.
Recompose founder and CEO Katrina Spade states, “In order to change the death care paradigm, we first have to change the laws.”
