HOUSE BILL NO. 5999

A bill to amend 1939 PA 280, entitled

"The social welfare act,"

(MCL 400.1 to 400.119b) by adding section 55d.

the people of the state of michigan enact:

Sec. 55d. (1) The Michigan COVID-19 funerary assistance fund is created within the state treasury.

(2) The state treasurer may receive money or other assets from any source for deposit into the fund. The state treasurer shall direct the investment of the fund. The state treasurer shall credit to the fund interest and earnings from fund investments.

(3) Money in the fund at the close of the fiscal year shall remain in the fund and shall not lapse to the general fund.

(4) The department shall be the administrator of the fund for auditing purposes.

(5) The department shall expend money from the fund for full or partial payment or reimbursement of reasonable burial or cremation costs for deaths caused by complications from a SARS-CoV-2 infection or believed to be caused by complications from a SARS-CoV-2 infection.

(6) To be eligible to receive payment or reimbursement of burial or cremation costs described in subsection (1), the survivor of the deceased individual must have a household income below 200% of the federal poverty guidelines for a household of 3 individuals. Household income does not include any amount received from an inheritance from the deceased individual's estate. A survivor may receive payment or reimbursement of burial or cremation costs for more than 1 deceased individual if all of the other eligibility requirements are met.

(7) Eligible costs to be paid or reimbursed include, but are not limited to, any of the following:

(a) The cost of a burial plot.

(b) Costs associated with burial in a plot.

(c) The cost of a casket.

(d) The cost of cremation.

(e) The cost of a funerary urn.

(f) Costs associated with funerary rites appropriate for a federally recognized Indian tribe if the deceased individual was a member of that Indian tribe.

(g) The cost of preparing the deceased individual for burial or cremation by a person licensed in mortuary science under article 18 of the occupational code, 1980 PA 299, MCL 339.1801 to 339.1812.

(h) The cost of transporting a deceased individual to the burial site or a crematorium.

(8) Costs that are not eligible to be paid or reimbursed include, but are not limited to, both of the following:

(a) Transporting the deceased individual back to this state from another state or country.

(b) Transporting the deceased individual outside of this state.

(9) If the survivor chooses to not carry the responsibility for payment of burial or cremation of the deceased individual, this state shall assume that responsibility under state statute, rule, or policy relating to indigent burial. If the department assumes the responsibility for burial or cremation of the deceased individual, the department must provide notice to the survivor of the burial site of the deceased individual in a timely manner.

(10) As used in this section:

(a) "Relative" means an individual who is related to the deceased individual within the fifth degree by marriage, blood, or adoption.

(b) "SARS-CoV-2" means the novel coronavirus that causes the infectious disease COVID-19.

(c) "Survivor" means the surviving relative of the deceased individual.