Burr Oak Cemrtery Scandal: Proposed legislation Comment -yourfuneralguy

Subcommittee returns to DC to write Federal Cemetery Legislation

A  United States House of Representatives Subcommittee is about to propose Federal Cemetery legislation. This is in reaction to the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal. The comments here by MarsellusM710 are his opinions and not those of Your Funeral Guy.

“Dear Funeral Guy and Funeral Service Colleagues,

When will it all stop???  The idiotic actions and the lack of integrity of those involved with the infamous catastrophes in funeral service is simply unforgivable. Tri-State Crematory, NPS, IFDA, the organ/tissue ordeal, SCI’s Cemetery problems, and God only knows how many others and now Burr Oak.  What were they thinking???

And every time there is a reported wrongdoing issue in funeral service or cemetery care the consumer advocacy groups rear their ugly heads and scream for new or more regulation, When in fact there is more than likely regs on the books that already cover the violations and wrongdoings but are not enforced.

Regulators need to get off their duffs and out of the office buildings and be more visible in the field.  In one instance, a field auditor for the Illinois Office of the Comptroller, was doing his or her job, but the boss (Hynes) wasn’t listening or didn’t want to listen, and you see what that got IFDA Trust into.  When regulators, local, state or federal, don’t or won’t do their jobs and lets take it on down to the managerial level, you can almost bet fraud, deceit and greed will raise their ugly heads.

The deeds done at Burr Oak Cemetery has the gruesome makings for an ungodly horror movie.
The Black Community, an entity of people who truly value the traditional funeral, done a dirty deed by a group within the “community” itself.  Crime truly knows no color or economic background.  Those involved with this will not survive prison.  The Black Community will not stand for this to go “unpunished”, even behind prison walls.

Respectfully submitted,
MarsellusM710″

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

“From the Chicago Tribune”

Stirred by the emotional testimony of the living victims of the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal, congressional leaders left Chicago on Monday intending to push for legislation for federal oversight of the cemetery industry.

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org

House Panel to Propose Federal Cemetery Legislation-YourfuneralGuy

A US House Panel will propose National Cemetery Legislation

The  US House subcommittee( Panel) meeting in response to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal stated that they will propose National Cemetery Legislation. The subcommittee met in the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago.

Here is a brief summary of what happened.

1. The Comptroller of the State of Illinois Dan Hynes stated that cemetery law is inconsistent in the State. Right now the Comptroller only regulates financial matters(including pre need contracts)

2. Joshua Slocum the head of The (FCA) Funeral Consumers Alliance stated that Cemetery Regulation is Inconsistent across the United States of America.. and that there needs to be clear Rules. Slocum and the FCA are clear cut advocates for cemetery and Funeral Reform reform.

3. US Congressman Jesse Jackson Jr. Stated that cemetery plots should be deeded. That would eliminate future Burr Oak Cemetery Scandals. This is an excellent proposal.

4. The Reverend Jesse Jackson stated that cemeteries should provide online plot information.

The United States Congress Congressional Subcommittee Was Formed By Congressman Bobby Rush.

Opposition is expected from SCI (Service Corporation International ) and STEI (Stewart Enterprises International) The two largest funeral corporations that hold  also own a significant number of cemeteries.

Generally different regulations exist for religious, private and city cemeteries.

Odds are legislation would lower the average cost of a funeral.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Source Chicago Tribune

MORE INFO:

Bobby Rush to propose Cemetery Legislation

Revealed Now Federal Investigation of Illinois Preneed Funeral Ponzi-YourFuneralGuy

The US States Attorney In Springfield, Il is investigating the Illinois Funeral Directors Association

A federal investigation is underway in the Illinois Funeral Directors Association Preneed Ponzi Scheme. Funeral Directors claim that the fund has lost 1oo million dollars since 2001. Some Funeral homes stand to loose millions due to the scheme. The fund is the IFDA Preneed trust and Merrill Lynch (MLBOT)became the Trustee last fall.

Up to now there have been multiple lawsuits in the matter and regulators in the State of Illinois have been investigating. With the Federal Investigation IFDA leaders who took money out of the fund, and misused the folks money should be quite nervous. Those that  lied to the IFDA Membership about the value of their assets should be talking to theirlawyers.

The 40-59 Million loss in 2008, is where the crime occurred before the markets crashed. Using folks funeral money for  the Museum of Funeral Customs and IFDA PERKS  is despicable. Falsifying the value of the fund to the membership is  likely “FRAUD.”

Some Funeral Homes may be forced out of Business entirely. Sadly Funeral prices for the average working stiff have been raised to compensate losses.

The Ponzi part of the scheme had to do with less than normal investments,  key man insurance purchases, perpetuated by Merrill Lynch.

From the State Journal Register in Springfield, Il

“The U.S. attorney’s office in Springfield has issued a subpoena to the state comptroller’s office demanding all records relating to the pre-need funeral trust fund once administered by the Illinois Funeral Directors Association. Carol Knowles, spokeswoman for comptroller Dan Hynes, said the comptroller has complied with the subpoena, which was received in late March.

Potential targets aren’t clear from the subpoena.”

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

illinois funeral directors association

Illinois Governor Quinn Names Cemetery Oversight Task Force-YourFuneralGuy

The Governor of the State of Illinois Patrick Quinn has named a nine member cemetery oversight  task force to investigate and make recommendations on cemetery reform.  The governor did this by Executive Order.

The executive order tells the task force to make a thorough examination of “the circumstances surrounding the recent tragic events at Burr Oak Cemetery”|“provide detailed recommendations on what policies, laws, rules and regulations should be implemented.”

The Task force is to report back to Governor Quinn, by September 15th 2009

The task force will consist of  leaders of  business, state government, human resource agencies, who are religious leaders, lawyers and executives.

Snippet  From cbs2chicago.com

Quoting  the Governor in an article entitled “Governor Quinn Names Cemetery Oversight Task Force”

“The Burr Oak Cemetery scandal is an outrage. I believe in providing a proper and respectful burial,” said Governor Quinn. “This task force will ensure that our loved ones are always treated with reverence and dignity.”

I am pleased that the Governor is taking his time and evaluating the situation properly. This is a wise course for funerals and cemeteries in the State of Illinois.

Comptroller Dan Hynes was offering some quick legislation, but it appears that cooler heads are prevailing.

Still the raw emotion affecting the victims of the Scandal, will continue to be hard for all to deal with.

Funeral Industry| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy, Funeral Director, Illinois Virginia

Illinois Task Force will Hold IFDA Leaders accountable-yourfuneralguy

The State of Illinois has established a task force to investigate the Illinois Funeral Directors Association

The Illinois Task Force on the Illinois funeral Directors Association will hold the troubled association’s leadership accountable by the end of 2009.

The Illinois Funeral Directors Association declared a $59 million dollar loss in 2008. 2009 estimates put the IFDA Preneed trust losses in 2009  to be 100 million.

The losses to Funeral Directors in the State of Illinois cannot be measured.

Funeral Directors in the State are covering their losses in the IFDA Preneed Trust. They are quite upset with the IFDA and the regulator, the Comptroller of the State of Illinois.

The IFDA thought they had a gentleman’s agreement with the Comptroller in the State of Illinois. They did not and they have recently  the comptroller’s office. suing the State of Illinois cannot be a wise course.

From the IllinoisIssuesblog

{IL REP.Dan}Brady, who sponsored the resolution that created the task force, said that the group’s goals include holding accountable whoever is responsible for the problems with the trust and creating a comprehensive reform package that addresses problems in all areas of pre-need funeral sales.

With all the negative attention on the trust, Brady said that he hopes reforms could help get it back on solid ground. “When you have a multifaceted problem like that, you have a consumer that is becoming very suspicious and skeptical when all they have been told over the last several years is that the whole idea is piece of mind.”

The task force must submit the report to the governor by the end of the year.

WAITING TO HOLD THOSE RESPONSIBLE TO THE END OF THE YEAR IS NOT SWIFT, OR FAIR JUSTICE.

We do not need to wait for the Judgement of the Illinois House Funeral and Burial Prearrangement Task Force to go after the leaders of the Illinois Funeral Directors Association who are responsible for the preneed disaster.

Funeral Industry|Funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy

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Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal|Comptroller proposes reform-YourFuneralGuy

The Illinois Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal has prompted quick proposals for cemetery reform.

The Comptroller from the State of Illinois has proposed reforms in response to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal. Politicians whose district includes the cemetery have brought pressure on

State of Illinois Dan Hynes to make reform happen quickly.

Reform is needed but other  recommendations from local experts and the Illinois House Funeral and Burial Prearrangement Task Force need to be considered.

Cemetery “Experts” from outside of the State of Illinois have been stating that reform needs to be passed today or tomorrow.

The problem is that there is a crossover between funeral sales and cemetery sales.

This occurs in the area of Preneed, or prearranged burials and funerals.

Funeral preneed sales people are not licensed in the State of Illinois and the same sort of preneed burial plot scam that went down at Burr Oak  Cemetery has been put up by the non licensed funeral preneed people.

Both funeral Preneed and cemetery preneed folks need to be licensed.

In the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal 300 Graves were dug up, bones were piled high and 100,000 graves need to be accounted for.

The Good news is that Governor Pat Quinn wants to move more cautiously with reform.

Grave desecration should never be tolerated. Dismemberment of human remains is a felony. The people at Burr Oak Cemetery did heinous acts.

Summary from the Comptroller’s July 15th press release.

All cemeteries and their staff who sell cemetery plots and other goods would be required to be licensed through the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation…..

Cemeteries would be required to provide reasonable maintenance based on standards enforceable by both state and local officials.

Requires cemeteries to keep detailed records and maps…..

Creates a consumer bill of rights, including requiring cemeteries to provide consumers with a booklet in plain English detailing those rights under the law.

Extends crime victims assistance eligibility to family members of those who are victims of the crimes charged at Burr Oak Cemetery.

Provides a cost of living increase for public aid burials…….

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy